After talking about the Best Rookies, Best Solo Artists, and Best-Selling Korean Albums of 2021, here we are now to talk about this year’s best music videos.
Music videos are one of the best ways to create or develop the visual identity of a singer or a group. Their importance should not be taken too lightly, as they play a very important role in an artist’s promotion and image. More noticeable than a soundtrack, music videos offer significant reach to an increasingly large audience. A video must amalgamate creativity and technical prowess in order for it to stand out.
In addition, nowadays, a great deal of money is invested in music videos. Why? Because a music video will have more impact than the release of an album.
So, here are some of this year’s best music videos based on the combination of the public’s reception, the aesthetics, and the number of views (to a lesser extent).
There is no order in this list, at all.
IU(아이유) _ strawberry moon
Set in a fantasy world, IU is living the perfect love story. It is easy to grasp her emotions when you watch this video as she wears her heart on her sleeve. This is a great cradle song.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqgxcCjD04s[/embedyt]
aespa 에스파 ‘Savage’
It seems like they have already been on the metaverse. In this video, they are dancing with their metaverse avatars. The visuals are set against a backdrop of a futuristic world. ‘Savage’ was only their third video but they hit hard.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPdWvnAAurg[/embedyt]
JEON SOMI (전소미) – ‘XOXO’
In the video, JEON SOMI’s boyfriend cheated on her. Because of that, she is showing how great of a badass she is. Causing a mess, breaking, destroying things, and even blowing up her boyfriend’s car. SOMI is unstoppable. The cutest part is her dad’s cameo in the music video.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8kqPkEXP_E[/embedyt]
Jessi – Cold Blooded (with SWF)
Through this video, Jessi made a lot of people know about the show Street Woman Fighter. She featured all dance crews and only appeared in the last 50 seconds. The dancers gleamed with astounding skills.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JHOl9CSmXk[/embedyt]
aespa 에스파 ‘Next Level’
In just a little over a year since their debut, aespa has received a few honorable nominations i.e. Daesangs. It is not surprising they won the Best Dance Performance Female Group, at the 2021 MAMA.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TWR90KJl84[/embedyt]
LIM YOUNG WOONG – ‘My Starry Love ‘
This is one of the songs/videos Korean people have enjoyed the most in 2021. It is emotional and not mainstream. Therefore, the elders loved it as it reminded them of their youth. This song/video allowed people to rekindle memories and emotions associated with a particular event.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fqrnAxfVfU[/embedyt]
BTS – ‘Butter’
Of course, they have to be here. ‘Smooth like butter’. Yes, throughout the whole video, they displayed smooth dance moves, smooth decors, smooth transitions. The colors can do nothing but ‘melt your heart’.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMweEpGlu_U[/embedyt]
LISA – ‘MONEY’ EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEO
Here, LISA is showing off her versatility. She is rapping, dancing, and singing. The dance moves captivate the audience and her confidence can be felt through the cameras. The visuals draw you in. And the first seconds, in the background, we can read ‘money is a terrible master but an excellent servant’. What does it mean?
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNCWe_6HAM8[/embedyt]
NCT U _ Maniac
The video is very original as it focuses on one dancer who, from the start to the end, is fighting against herself. This duality, this yin and yang shows how complementarity is crucial. Because, at the end of the video, the two opposing forces were dancing together.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ffD9Desjcg[/embedyt]
LISA – ‘LALISA’
You can say whatever you want about LISA but she is super confident. In the first seconds, she made it clear: “You know just from looking at my back…I shake up the world”. The video is a display of LISA’s delicacy and boastfulness. A lot of sets and outfits. “From Thailand to Korea, and here, went for the throat”. How to express it better than sitting on a golden throne?
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awkkyBH2zEo[/embedyt]
ITZY “LOCO”
The song is energetic. And as for the visuals, their outfits were flashy and the refulgent colors just set the mood. Besides those points, it was also exciting to see them put on a whole show.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjCZfZfucEc[/embedyt]
Dreamcatcher ‘Odd Eye’
Dance performance-wise, they definitely are at the top. The choreography is pleasing to watch. As the title indicates, for a better video experience, focus on their eyes, their facial expressions and notice how telling they are.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QD0FeZyDtQ[/embedyt]
IVE – ELEVEN
They made their debut in early December and ‘ELEVEN’ became the best-selling debut album by a K-Pop girl group, the same-title video is the most-viewed 2021 debut MV.
The choppiness of the beat on the video makes it catchy. The slowdowns play with the listener’s sensations. They confess their love to a person and they just feel untroubled.
They have garnered a lot of attention since their album release. We can’t wait for their comeback in 2022.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–FmExEAsM8[/embedyt]
BAEKHYUN ‘Bambi’
Baekhyun is the first to be awarded best male artist 3 times in a row at the MAMA. With this heartfelt song, he delivered a great performance both musically and visually. The inspiration from Michael Jackson is conspicuous. With this R&B song, his melodic voice, and the visuals, Baekhyun is reminding people what they are going to miss out on if they do not hop on the train.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M3WUaeIbOk[/embedyt]
EVERGLOW – FIRST
The sextet debuted in 2019 and has been living up to the hype. On “FIRST”, they are showing people that they are ready to fight, ready to do whatever it takes. And for that, they are in their battle uniform. They executed a very intense choreography with breathtaking transitions. The music itself motivates and makes you want to strive for more.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3RA7bi5FUM[/embedyt]
About this year’s videos
2021 was rich in talent and visuals. Obviously, there are other great, deserving music videos that could be on this list. Next year’s music will, for sure, be more phenomenal, knowing how competitive artists are.
Discover more year-end lists here.
