Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
Today’s K-pop music videos, ranging from a brisk three to an expansive ten minutes, invite listeners into an experience akin to watching a high-caliber film, complete with stunning visuals, meticulously crafted mise-en-scène, and storylines that demand viewing from start to finish. Not to mention, K-pop stars aren’t just great singers; they’re also convincing actors. Let’s dive into some K-pop music videos that feel just like watching a movie.
K.Will – No Sad Song For My Broken Heart
K.Will’s music video for “No Sad Song For My Broken Heart” from his 7th mini-album All The Way responds to fans who have long clamored for a sequel since the 2012 video “Please Don’t,” which featured a dramatic twist between Seo In Guk and Ahn Jae Hyun, teetering between friendship and love. “No Sad Song For My Broken Heart” MV picks up roughly ten years after the events of the original timeline. Its release surged to the top of Korea’s YouTube trending videos and coincided with New York’s Pride Parade, garnering global attention. The video, which presents a shocking conclusion to the brief reunion of its characters, has fans eagerly anticipating a third installment.
>> Ahn Jae Hyun and Seo In Guk’s Intimate Photoshoot Sets Internet Ablaze
RM – Come Back to Me
In the music video for “Come Back to Me,” a pre-release track from his second solo album Right Place, Wrong Person, RM rejects a cigarette at a noisy party, then stands up and stares contemplatively at the door. He ultimately encounters a woman who guides him out of a labyrinth-like studio—none other than Kim Min Ha from Pachinko. Directed by Lee Sung Jin of Beef and featuring art direction by Ryu Seong Hee of Decision to Leave, the video captivates with its artistic visuals, reflecting RM’s well-known taste as a cinephile and modern art enthusiast.
NewJeans – Cool With You
For their second mini-album Get Up, NewJeans introduced a triple title track, each uniquely presented. “Cool With You” was produced in two versions based on the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche, with an intriguing twist at the end of “Cool With You” side B that transitions into another title track, “Get Up.”
The notable cast includes Jung Ho Yeon from Squid Game as Eros, who chooses love over divinity, and Tony Leung as the god of love, Aphrodite, flipping the script on traditional gender roles and adding a modern twist to the mythological characters.
IU – Love wins all
The music video for “Love wins all,” a pre-released track from IU‘s sixth mini-album The Winning, portrays the tale of two people clinging to each other to survive in a ruined world. The video features IU, recognized for her acting prowess, and BTS’s V, with direction by Um Tae Hwa of Concrete Utopia. Even as they flee a mysterious cube-shaped object, the protagonists find joy in viewing the pre-apocalyptic world through a camcorder, underscoring their refusal to let go of love amidst desolation.
>> Decoding the Mysteries: Inside IU and BTS’s V’s ‘Love wins all’ Music Video
ENHYPEN – ROMANCE: UNTOLD
ENHYPEN has been introducing album narratives through unique concept trailers since their fourth mini-album DARK BLOOD. With their latest full album, ROMANCE: UNTOLD, they released the “UNTOLD Concept Cinema,” an 11-minute short film format unusual for K-pop. In this video, ENHYPEN members portray vampire boys who embark on a mission to save “Chloe,” a being who compels them to make music. The members not only act but also perform various action scenes, encapsulating the dark tones of the ENHYPEN universe. The noir-style trailer was brought to life with the help of Lee Chung Hyeon, director of The Call and Ballerina.
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
