While I don’t incorporate a song’s video into the reviews on this blog, I’m definitely not immune to a striking visual. Music videos are a vital part of the industry, and it’s time to celebrate my favorites of 2022.
Honorable Mentions:
ENHYPEN – Blessed-Cursed
Onew – Dice
IVE – After Like
PSY – That That (ft. Suga)
CRAVITY – Adrenaline
NewJeans – Attention
The Rose – Childhood
Stray Kids – Case 143
10. ACID ANGEL FROM ASIA – GENERATION
I wanted to include a music video shot in this casual, SNS-inspired style since it was a huge trend this year. Acid Angel From Asia weren’t omnipresent like NewJeans, but I think they delivered the strongest example of this visual approach with Generation.
9. BIBI – ANIMAL FARM
I didn’t review Animal Farm on the blog, but its video definitely caught my attention. It’s a revenge fantasy (à la Kill Bill) and its violent visuals aren’t for the faint of heart. But, everyone deserves to see Bibi’s climactic guitar solo on top of the dinner table.
8. JIN – THE ASTRONAUT
Sprawling landscape shots will always get me, especially when paired with anthemic pop rock. Astronaut has a very cinematic style, but the video takes its time moving you through Jin’s journey. It’s captivating in its simplicity.
7. TREASURE – VOLKNO
If you’re going to shoot a video for a guitar-led hype track, you better make it completely over-the-top. I’m talking about pyrotechnics, car races — the whole shabang. VolKno is edited like an action movie, stuffed with ridiculous visuals (the guys walking a semitruck like a dog is my favorite). It’s a visual explosion.
6. YENA – SMILEY (FT. BIBI)
This is just plain ridiculous and I love that energy. The opening voiceover is a hoot, immediately throwing us into Yena’s campy world. The mix of animation and live action is a ton of fun and brings the song’s colorful concept to life. Bibi steals the show as the badass villainess.
5. DRIPPIN – “VILLAIN” SERIES
Not every moment of these videos is perfect (the CGI can be a bit wack in places), but I’m taken by their consistent storyline and the superhero/supervillain tropes. As a big comic book fan, this will always appeal to me. The trilogy opens with its strongest visual. Villain has some very cool moments, from the crows to the telekinesis to the futuristic cityscape.
4. BIGBANG – STILL LIFE
Bigbang always deliver when it comes to visuals. Still Life gives each member his own evocative set, from a moonscape to an abandoned city to a bed of flowers. The guys sell each and every shot, bringing the emotion to a constant climax. It’s a shame we never see them perform together.
3. LEE CHANHYUK – PANORAMA
Panorama feels like some weird arthouse film, perfectly in keeping with Chanhyuk’s quirky sensibilities. The transitions are very creative and the movement of the camera gives the video an off-balance sensation that feels quite dreamlike. When visual effects are used, they leave a mark. That shot of Chanhyuk flying over the cars into the field of flowers is a stunner.
2. CHANGMIN – MANIAC
Most K-pop videos — even the great ones — simply follow established trends. Maniac has a perspective of its own. Or rather, it draws from much older touchstones. Built upon references from classic Hitchcock horror films, the video paints an amusing storyline that lets Changmin showcase his acting skills in a brilliant bit of dark comedy. The visuals perfectly match the song’s style.
1. ONLYONEOF – “UNDERGROUND IDOL” SERIES
I couldn’t just pick one of these videos, though if I had to make that choice it would be Rie’s Because. I’m a sucker for ambition, and OnlyOneOf’s interconnected Underground Idol series stands as 2022’s most ambitious visual project. Stretching over the bulk of the year (there’s still another video to come!), this series plays like its own mini drama. The members are empathetic actors and fully embrace the various tones and emotions these different videos evoke. Most importantly, the project feels different from what everyone else is doing. Individuality is an asset.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I’m surprised After LIKE got an honorable mention. I feel like everyone hated the editing of that video, me included
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Well, I spent an evening trying to get all the movie references in it, so I would have been very disappointed if it wasn’t mentioned haha
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Yena and Chanhyuk’s music videos were great! Yena really did remind me a bit of a 2010s Disney channel pop star and I loved it, while Chanhyuk’s story telling really makes it impossible not to loop some parts over and over. Plus, both their songs are bangers, especially “Smiley”.
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I know our opinions differ a lot but damn a lot of my tentative list is so similar to yours like Yena, Chanhyuk, Big Bang, and Jin. Might swap out Changmin for Suho’s Hurdle, and I’m still figuring out whether I’d put in Attention, Generation or Ditto as the Y2K vid I like.
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Some of my favorite MV’s this year :
Kingdom Long Live the King (I loved Ascension too but I think I watched the other MV way more)
Epex Hymn to Love
SKZ Case 143
BiBi Animal Farm (BIG YES!! That guitar solo was what really caught my attention the first time too! Also I love the Kill Bill series 😂 So watching anything that makes slight references to it is always cool for me!)
Classy Tick Tick Boom
ATBO Attitude
Twice Talk that Talk
Aespa Girls
H1-Key Athletic Girl
Ive After Like
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for the underground idol series im shocked u didnt mention how groundbreaking it is in kpop to have a whole video series made as a love letter to the lgbtq community. like theres so many comments on those videos from gay ppl saying that this was one of the first times theyd ever felt truly seen in media and that it finally gave them the courage to be their true selves…..its just so touching
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Mine, no particular order, but Generation’s and Gasoline probably had the best plotline.
Key – Gasoline (actually made me warm towards the song more)
Mirae – Marvelous (version shot in their exercise room)
TripleS -Generation
PSY – Now and That That
j-hope – Arson
Jackson Wang – Blow
Changmin – Maniac and Fever
Yena – Smiley
NCT Dream – Glitch Mode
OOO – Underground Idol series
Tan – Du Du Du
Kinoj2sly – Coordinator
Onew – Dice
Koyo – Party
Kwon Eunbi – Glitch
Kai – Peaches
Kingdom – The Song of Dann (Promise)
Ayumu Imazu – Tangerine
Stray Kids – Case 143
Apink – Dilemma
Rocking Doll – Pom Pom
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Great list, especially especially Jackson Wang and Kingdom
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Thank you!
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Jackson’s Blow is fantastic! I’m not really counting his stuff as “K-pop” anymore since it feels like he’s fully transitioned to a different market, but if the video was eligible it would’ve definitely be on my list as well.
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It’s what I call “K-pop fellow traveller” music so he makes it.
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My favorite might just be B.I’s BTBT; I’m a sucker for the urban Bladerunner-like vibe.
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Oh, and I also like the new NewJeans MVs for Ditto
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For the longest time I had no idea that BTBT had an MV because I had only seen the performance video. Both are quite impressive!
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My music video picks this year!
Thank You by Brave Girls- I just loved all the sets and colours, there were a lot of really nice shots! After We Ride is my favourite music video from them and this felt like a thematic sequel
Honey by Solar- purely for the colour blocking in her outfits and sets and the NEWSPAPER DRESS! It was very simple but strikingly done and effective
Feel my Rhythm and Birthday by Red Velvet- FMR genuinely took my breath away with how beautiful it was (the painting in the last chorus!!) and I loved the storyline and animation and general wackiness of Birthday.
Cheese in the Trap by Moonbyul- I thought this was so fun and clever and the school crush plot was really cute! Some of my favorite styling this year too.
Flip That by Loona- If there’s one thing Loona can do, it is a stunning music video. I loved the scenery, and hope they can start their journey into the free.
Heartburn by Sunmi- Surprised this didn’t get a mention! I loved the storyline and historical period and delighted in Sunmi killing a bunch of guys lol. Her MVs never fail to impress me.
Smiley and Smartphone by Yena- I can’t pick between these! The campy colours and concepts and styling were all impeccable and I loved how they each felt like a little short film.
Forever 1 by Girls Generation- Shamelessly putting these here because of how much I cried at the first shot of them all together. Loved the solo shots of them being successful, Tiffany finally learnt how to fly the ITNW airplane!
Talk That Talk by Twice- the EDITING on this was so good! I loved the website/magazine style edits and how unique each set was, stylish and slick yet still with the quirky Twice-ness.
Animal Farm and Vengeance by Bibi- these were both so insanely good! Cinematic masterpieces with such a sense of gritty drama and I loved seeing Bibi enact revenge in such gory splendour.
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I agree about those Red Velvet MVs, especially Feel My Rhythm. I’m a big fan of ReVe, and this year they really returned to form, in terms of sound. At the same time, the MVs added a new level to the band’s mythology.
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i had the biggest smile on my face when i saw who your top pick was. NO ONE is doing it like onlyoneof is !
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I would also add in
Red Velvet- Birthday and Feel My Rhythm
The quirkiness of birthday and the beautiful paintings scene in the last chorus of feel my rhythm were so well done.
Bibi- Blade
All her MVs were top tier this year. After animal farm, i would say blade is a close second with the visuals and the outfits.
RM- Wild Flower
The fireworks in this video are stunning. The MV is so grand it really sweeps me off my feet everytime. (Those aren’t CGI btw)
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for me personally after like is far and away my fav of 2022….anything roh sangyoon touches turns to gold
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Speaking of Animal Farm, that song was so great for me and one of the highlights of 2022 personally, what would you rate the song itself?
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