Best Of Kpop 2013 - Music Videos

Part of the reason that makes kpop so great are the fantastic music videos that accompany many of the songs. These are my top 10 mv's that were released in 2013, of those that I have seen (in no particular order).





1. Block B - Very Good

These boys have had it rough, to say the least. They've been involved in controversies and scandals and recently filed a lawsuit against their former agency Brand New Stardom. They are now with the newly founded Seven Seasons and made their awaited comeback this October with pre-released track "Be The Light" and title track "Very Good". While the song itself is not my favorite, the mv is hilarious. Here the boys show you how to rob a bank in the most efficient way possible, and it's completely ridiculous. I love that they don't take themselves to seriously and are not afraid to look a bit crazy.

2. B1A4 - What's Happening?

Moving on to an entirely different style of music, B1A4 has developed a distinct sound and concept that is neither too cute nor too sexy. They're like those friendly teenage boys next door that are always fun to hang out with. This video for "What's Happening" is very random, which is perfecly suitable for the song. What is actually happening in this mv? There are people masked as dolls living in a doll house along with the group members and they're stuck inside rooms doing strange things. It's fun and lively and the choreo is great as usual.

3. Lee Hyori - Bad Girls

Can I just say how much I love this woman? She is by far one of my favorite people out there and continues to prove it all the time. She's smart, talanted, funny, down-to-earth and not to mention absolutely beautiful as well. This mv just confirmed my love for Lee Hyori even more. Bad Girls is not an excellent song, but the video helps it look like it is. It is essentially about breaking the stereotypes of what a "good girl" is supposed to be like and not taking crap from anyone. It's so badass and funny but definetely though provoking too, which to me makes it a really good watch.

4. Nine Muses - Wild

This was the video and song that made me a fan of Nine Muses, and I've been loving them ever since. They have also got their own sound and I discovered and fell in love with some of their older songs such as "News" and "Ticket". This video is very simple but the girls look great and sound fantastic, the choreo is sharp and synchronized the styling is also fantastic. I am so happy that they are finally beginning to gain more recognition, considering their debut was way back in 2010. They have so much talent and potential, and I hope to see even more of them in 2014.

5. Kim Jaejoong - Mine

I was just blown away when this song and mv was released. As mentioned in previous posts, I am a rocker girl through and through and this is totally up my street. I love the sound of the song and the mv really suits the concept. Jaejoong looks stunning as always and there are quite a lot of meaningful symbolism which I will not explain in this review but I'm sure you can find other articles about it. I think the main point is that he's breaking free, which you can tell from the lyrics as well. It is emotional and aggressive and except from that rhino-esque mask thingy it is a delightful watch.

6. IU - The Red Shoes

Resident princess IU came back with a bang this fall and showed she is still a force to be reckoned with. This video was beautifully shot and emotionally engaging. It certainly sent off some Gatsby vibes at times but that made it all the more enjoyable for me. I love that it was almost like a mini-movie and told a story that you actually understood. I watched this mv so many times that it actually further convinced me to listen to the entire album which I most definetely do not regret. This video is just fabulous, watch it and you'll see.

7. TOP - Doom Dada

I have literally no idea what is going on for the most part of this mv, but I love it. Presumably there is some kind of plot or meaning but it doesn't really matter because it's so great anyways. I mean, TOP himself dressing up as a pre-historical ape and riding a motorcycle with a baby with a giant head? How can you not love this? I was squeeling everytime I saw his godlike face too, how can a person be so charismatic (I do not like this word and it is tragically overused but it fits so well in this context) and intriguing?

8. BAP - One Shot

I am not kidding when I say I was jumping up and down in my chair when I first saw this mv. The cinematography is very visually appealing and you can tell how much money and effort went into this shoot, being shot in the Philippines and all. The plot is easy to understand and follow, and the plot twist at the end made me fangirl even harder. I was on such a high after watching this. The boys look and sound great, shame though that Himchan hurt his wrist and could not participate in music shows.

9. G-Dragon - Crooked

I have tremendous respect for this man and what he has accomplished, and while I don't enjoy everything he has put out, I can see why it's so appealing to the masses. G-Dragon likes to experiment with different sounds and genres, and you never really know what you're going to get. I love this song and video, I honestly think it is one of his best releases to date. It just makes you want to jump and sing along and rebel against the world, which is what he does in this video shot in London. The lyrics are actually quite sad, but I think it comes through in the video very clearly, where you can see him taking out his sadness by being destructive and trying to party away those emotions.

Keep up the good work, GD!

10. Spica - Tonight

These beautiful girls are so underrated and it pains me to see them struggle trying to reach for the top. They have so much potential but haven't been given the best releases or promotion. I think that this song is their highest charted release so far, and I can see why. It's all summary and fun with the right amount of hippie. The video is just gorgeous with a special cameo from labelmate and mentor Lee Hyori. I really hope they'll do even better in the future and gather more public recognition.

So, that was my top 10 favorite videos of 2013 but I'm sure there are plenty more that I've missed out on. What were your favorites of the past year?