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A ranking of the best K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and T-pop videos released this year so far! #50: PINK FUN, “可以呀 Kya”: Sitcom-level hijinks ensue as the “IRL” adventures of two competing teams blur with their virtual ones. #49: WOOZI, “Ruby”: A memorable solo debut featuring an eye-catching fashion show #48: BTS, “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”: A very emotional trip down memory lane; a slow walk through all the memories associated with key symbols from BTS’s music video universe over the years #47: ASTRO, “Candy Sugar Pop”: A whimsical, gravity-defying journey through a candy shop, an island, and outer space, encompassing the album’s core theme of summer fun! #46: Whee In, “Make Me Happy”: A beyond-beautiful video, featuring Whee In twirling through flower and butterfly-filled rooms and floating through the galaxy #45: Kep1er, “WA DA DA”: A zany, cosmic, teleportation-fueled adventure that solidifies the group’s status as “Super Rookies” #44: BIGBANG, “Still Life”: A video with many hidden charms; a video that seems relatively bland upon first glance but is full of hidden messages, through everything from the signs behind the members to their hair colors
#43: Nissy, “Trippin”: Another curiosity-provoking addition to an ongoing story, this time featuring a climactic game-changer for Nissy’s music video characters (yes, plural!) #42: Cherry Bullet, “Love In Space”: A continuation of the cutesy, pink-heavy aesthetic of “Love So Sweet,” only this time with a magical cat and an elevator that takes the group up to a magical garden! #41: YERIN, “ARIA”: A swirl of vivid colors and flowers that represent the newfound freedom to express herself about which she sings #40: STAYC, “RUN2U”: A candy-colored visual feast, from the party decor to the sparkly dresses to the pink subway car #39: Rocking doll, “Heart Rider”: A pick-me-up that is bright both visually and thematically, adding an installment to the group’s multiplanetary storyline that couldn’t get any sweeter #38: WONHO, “EYE ON YOU”: A smart usage of color to draw stark contrasts between WONHO and his location (for example, when he wears all white in a dark room) and between him and symbolic details (such as the pop of color provided by red chains) #37: MIRAE, “Marvelous”: A cross between a preppy “Hi-Teen” concept and something brand new, as the group has literally out-of-this-world fun! #36: NiziU, “ASOBO”: A cute reminder to take a break from work to go play, a lesson taught with examples! The members bring the party wherever they go and dance away their troubles with CGI animal friends! #35: JAMIE, “Pity Party”: A devilishly good time, as JAMIE makes a metaphorical concept a literal one, throwing herself a dinner party and letting the unsuspecting guest who did her wrong in the past learn a lesson he won’t soon forget! #34: Stray Kids, “MANIAC”: A video that feels interactive by the members’ reaching towards the camera and appearing to direct it themselves, and an unexpected toying with the concept of parallel worlds laid out in previous videos #33: IVE, “LOVE DIVE”: A magical ride through the sky, dance scenes in preppy, chic looks, and poses by a heart-shaped pool make for a video both entertaining and aesthetically pleasing. #32: Apink, “Dilemma”: An elegant and enviable wardrobe is combined with artsy settings for a viewing experience from which it is hard to look away. #31: BamBam, “Slow Mo”: A pleasant extension of the pastel wonderland BamBam introduced viewers to in “riBBon,” and a video that hints at not everything being what it seems with every camera tilt, clone appearance, and moment of gravity shifting #30: JEONG SEWOON, “Roller Coaster”: An optimistic journey of his own making; he refuses to let his fun plans be canceled and finds ways to throw a party right there and then! #29: Lee Soo Young, “Uranus”: Scenes where she performs a solo dance below a lone spotlight and in an elaborate outfit are matched in their intrigue by scenes where she stands amid starry skies and pretty flower displays. #28: woo!ah!, “Catch the Stars”: A back-and-forth between adorable, intergalactic adventures and dance-along-ready scenes where the members sport cute, preppy outfits #27: Vivian Hsu, “VIVILAND”: A virtual museum walk-through, with everything from the architecture to the placement of background dancers becoming a work of art in itself #26: TVXQ!, “Epitaph -for the future-”: A prime example of how TVXQ! manage to have an outsized stage presence for just two performers. The duo balance each other out, with one embodying a character destined for Hell and another destined for Heaven. #25: ONEW, “DICE”: A welcome addition to the larger story of KWANGYA and a standout on its own for telling a compelling story that leaves viewers wanting a sequel #24: WJSN CHOCOME, “Supper Yuppers!”: An introduction to a team of beyond-quirky superheroes who fight crime in some very surprising ways! #23: PSY ft. SUGA, “That That”: Two icons team up for a dance-filled, goofy music video that is impossible not to smile while watching! #22: NCT DREAM, “Glitch Mode”: A one-of-a-kind story told through a unique “buffering” dance move and characters playing dual roles: matchmakers and video game store employees #21: (G)I-DLE, “TOMBOY”: A fierce and flashy triumph that shows (G)I-DLE step into their own like never before #20: Solar, “HONEY”: A well-done presentation of the overall theme of her album. Both the “HONEY” music video and the album are meant to represent the many faces of Solar, and just as different personas emerge from song to song on the album, different personas are present throughout the video, distinguished by wearing different colors. #19: B.I ft. DeVita & Soulja Boy, “BTBT”: A cinematic, Sci-Fi-inspired video that (hopefully!) hints at the moody but in-control demeanor B.I’s character will portray in his upcoming musical era. The cinema of this video is further praiseworthy for the subtle, albeit possibly unintentional, details, such as B.I’s sparkly makeup that is reflected off of the dim lighting to resemble tears. #18: KIM WOO SEOK, “Switch”: Sweet, animated scenes are interspersed between scenes in a colorful house, where KIM WOO SEOK contemplates to what degree he is dreaming and to what degree he remains in reality. #17: Billlie, “GingaMingaYo (the strange world)”: A fun house gone mad, including an evil baseball come to life and rooms where gravity works in reverse! The group’s bizarre location is the stuff of TV shows and offers a refreshing degree of originality. #16: Moon Byul, “C.I.T.T (Cheese in the Trap)”: Over-the-top antics humorously demonstrate Moon Byul’s character’s attempts to mimic the “How to steal the cheese” (aka “How to woo a crush”) instructions her alter ego has laid out in a mannequin-staring tutorial! #15: SUHO, “Hurdle”: A video whose oddities are smart for drawing contrasts to his other Grey Suit-related music video. While “Grey Suit” focuses on still frames and dark tones, “Hurdle” is colorful and action-packed, demonstrating the split between the sides of Suho his album addresses. #14: YOUNHA, “Event Horizon”: A story rich in both its narrative and visuals; a vivid story in every way #13: TAEYONG & Wonstein, “Love Theory”: An endearing depiction of one’s inner child; a visual representation of a lovesick person’s frustrations and confusion that come with crushing on someone #12: LE SSERAFIM, “FEARLESS”: Mesmerizing hair flips and other synchronized dance moves vie for attention against scenes with larger-than-life action and unexpected contrasts, such as boxing gloves paired with a fancy dress. The message that LE SSERAFIM refuse to abide by specific labels rings loud and clear, as the title of the song would suggest! #11: KWON EUN BI, “ESPER”: An intriguing mystery that leaves much up to interpretation, as discussed here #10: SEVENTEEN, “HOT”: A fast-paced thrill that is both chock-full of nods to previous releases and a solid summation of the group’s new concept #9: TAEYEON, “INVU”: A full embrace of her role in KWANGYA, as an ethereal and determined warrior pixie! #8: Cheng Xiao, “Lonely Beauty”: A symbolism-heavy video that, while leaving much up to interpretation, is clear in its message about feeling trapped by beauty standards and desiring to break free of them, as explained here #7: SEVENTEEN, “Darl+ing”: An incredibly charming video full of flowers, stuffed animals, and smiley faces. The scene that plays during the bridge, however, reminds viewers SEVENTEEN’s music video world is not all sunshine and rainbows… #6: TXT, “Good Boy Gone Bad”: A video in which every detail is intentional, from the symbolic jewelry Yeonjun wears to Beomgyu lying like a limp doll on top of trash bags #5: 4EVE, “EXCEPTIONAL”: A profound critique of what society deems “sinful” behavior and a stirring call to action to combat harmful labels and views that allow for so much self-loathing #4: Dreamcatcher, “MAISON”: A larger-than-life expansion of the group’s storytelling that demonstrates the unintended consequences of their actions and their new goal to reign in their powers #3: YENA ft. BIBI, “SMILEY”: A very loveable plot fit for a kids’ TV show, as YENA is the superhero who saves the day by cheering up a boy who loses his balloon and a room full of weary diners! #2: Red Velvet, “Feel My Rhythm”: An elaborate mixture of the visual and performing arts, combining paintings, theatrical production elements, a classical music sample, and scenes in a Wonderland-esque garden #1: TAEYEON, “Can’t Control Myself”: As elaborated on previously, this music video offers insightful commentary on the different roles people play in their own lives and the distress that comes with those roles blurring together: “This music video has a lot to unpack, successfully building the suspense for TAEYEON’s upcoming album. As fun as it is to hear TAEYEON’s music go in a new, punk-pop direction, what is most exciting about this release are the story threads it starts. ‘Can’t Control Myself’ leaves much to interpretation, with TAEYEON playing two characters and alternating between scenes in ‘normal life’ and scenes on a stage, with a packed audience watching her. The black-wig-wearing TAEYEON acts out a musical love story for the audience, and although her mind is clearly elsewhere while doing so, the crowd goes wild. The blonde, disheveled, and more overtly distressed TAEYEON is swarmed by paparazzi as she watches her love walk by slowly. Several moments can be interpreted as the one when TAEYEON ultimately breaks down, but here is one theory: TAEYEON’s breaking point in this relationship is reached during that moment when her love glimpses in her direction but then keeps walking, as she is left to fend off the cameras alone. The next scene features TAEYEON going from that street straight onto the stage, still blonde and disheveled. She has clearly broken character here, having not switched into her black wig and not taken on a rosier demeanor, but no matter how much she yells and literally pushes this man away from her, the audience keeps on cheering and assuming it is part of the act. The toxic relationship about which TAEYEON sings feels inescapable; she cannot separate the wounded person she has become from who she used to be, even though she tries with all her might. The mark this love has left on her is one both painful and seemingly permanent, and TAEYEON realizes this as the walls between her onstage and offstage selves collapse. From the role the audience plays in perpetuating TAEYEON’s distress, to how permanent her wounds truly are, to how close she has dodged a bullet (considering she seems to allude to an engagement with a lyric about her bad days spinning ‘like a loose ring’), there are so many facets of this video and song that are open to interpretation. ‘Can’t Control Myself’ is a thought-provoking start to TAEYEON’s newest musical era and can be seen in a new light with every rewatch.”
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