I think that this was definitely the hardest category out of all of them because part of what makes K-pop so amazing are the many different kinds of videos, that are nothing alike those who are made in the West and where I come from. I often complain about videos being generic and sticking only to one formula, but truth is that compared to many western MV's they're still way ahead in terms of production value and quality. The K-pop MV is an investment as it's a highly important factor in what makes a group successful, and thus it's natural that there are a lot of great videos. After much debate I managed to select my top 10, but there were plenty more that I also enjoyed which are mentioned at the end. Enjoy!
Mamamoo & Esna - Ahh Oop!
This video is everything. At first when I watched it I was a bit confused by the song (which I now love, by the way) but the video had me right from the beginning. I love the message of female power and strength, which the lyrics of the song tackle so perfectly (thank you Esna!), and all five fearless women in the video make it clear that they're no objects of the male desire. Additionally the video is shot in a vintage style at an old-fashioned barber shop, and it makes the MV both visually spectacular and unique. Why Mamamoo later went with "Um Oh Ah Yeah" as their main promotional singles still baffles me.
4Minute - Crazy
Once again you will find 4Minute mentioned in a "Best of 2015" post, and I'm not sorry about it for one second. As I earlier mentioned I love the song and the powerful choreography, but it's obvious that it is the MV that ties them all together. By themselves they might not have been as interesting, but watching this video as well as hearing the track and seeing them kill the choreo makes for a complete and flawless viewing experience. I love the use of black and white with some color pops here and there, and everything from the sets, styling and camera work is spot on.
Xia Junsu - Flower
If there was one video in 2015 to completely leave me breathless it would be this one, without a question. I've already briefly discussed my unconditional love for the song itself, but the song in combination with the video and the choreography (which I've also mentioned) is like with 4Minute, a magical experience. Although the video is extremely difficult to interpret and decode and I'm still not entirely sure what the real meaning of it is the artistic language speaks for itself. I could watch this again and again and be left feeling like an emotional wreck each time.
Crayon Pop - FM
This is probably the video on this list that was shot with the least money, or more so I'm pretty confident it is. Crayon Pop, you'd think, should be in a stronger position considering their 2013 success, but with a weak company that failed to take advantage of the situation I'm afraid they'll remain a "one-hit-wonder". Still, they managed to put together one of the coolest videos of the year, and if you're a fan of anime, video games and old-school tv-shows than this is the MV for you. It's just so unbelievably amazing with all of its nerdy references, and the fact that the song is great only enhances the viewing experience.
BTS - I Need U (Original ver.)
When BTS released the MV for "I Need U" I was floored. When BTS released the original version of the MV for "I Need U" I died and was resurrected all in five and a half minutes. Seriously, the first version they put out was extremely emotional and along with the equally pained song I could barely sit through it without tears forming in my eyes. However the longer, 19+ rated video had me feeling like someone cut a knife right through my heart. It could be that I just have a lot of feelings for this group but the video was shot so incredibly well and felt more like a movie rather than a regular video. Yeah, I still kind of haven't gotten over it.
SHINee - Married To The Music
It was hard choosing between this MV and the one for "View" because both of the videos SHINee released this year were great in their own ways and showcased two different yet equally representative sides of the group. However at the end of the day I still feel like "Married To The Music" is closer to SHINee's core, being the quirky, experimental group that they are, and it was also a lot more fun to watch. Everything about it is really impressive, from the spooky sets, clothes and special effects, and it's a joyful experience every time you watch it.
Goo Hara - Choco Chip Cookies
This choice might be a bit unexpected to some of you, or rather most of you, and I understand why. Goo Hara's solo debut wasn't a huge success in any way, and many people thought the song to be weak and her vocals even weaker, and yes, I agree to a certain extent. However there's no way I'm going to drag the video because of it. This has to be the most summery MV of the year, and I can't believe how pretty it is and how pretty she is. The locations are gorgeous, the cinematography stunning and all the lovey-dovey scenes makes you feel all warm and happy inside.
Wonder Girls - I Feel You
Yes, here are the marvelous Wonder Girls yet again! Did you think I was going to not include them for best MV or what? Seriously though, they nailed it with this 80's influenced video, almost so much so that one could believe it actually a product of said decade. The song absolutely factors in because it is, too, retro perfection, and watching them sing and dance in era-appropriate leotards along with the sexy, sultry solo shots is quite a lot for my weak fangirl heart to handle.
IU - Twenty-three
Despite her controversies, scandals and general mess of a comeback you can't deny the brilliance that is IU's MV for "Twenty-three". She might be looked at unfavorably by the public right now because of her "Zezé" mishap, but the way she goes around with this video makes it impossible for me to respect and admire her. In the video she makes fun both of herself and the way she's perceived by the media, and she does it in such a clever way that is even more fun to watch if you understand the lyrics of the song. Additionally the MV is a visual wonderland with some of the best set, prop and effects use I've seen in a long time.
Vixx LR - Beautiful Liar
This was a comeback (or debut, more correctly) that I unfortunately slept on before I was finally woken up to see just what I've been missing out on. A Leo/Ravi sub-unit sounds like a great idea in theory, and to my relief it works even better in practice, because the MV for "Beautiful Liar" still makes me feel all kinds of emotions. The beautiful song, the amazing sets and cinematography and the plot about the the dark and bright side of a person captured so stunningly by the two boys' performances; everything is fantastic and it almost hurts to watch because of how emotional it makes you feel.
Red Velvet - Dumb Dumb
Last but not least we have the five feisty ladies of Red Velvet, and if there was one thing I was sure of before I even started making this post was that they were going to be in it. All three videos released by them this year have been super high quality and you can tell SM's spending a lot of time and money on their MV's, so choosing only one was quite the challenge. Ultimately my favorite was, I think, "Dumb Dumb" although "Automatic" is a close second. I just love the quirky, fun theme of the video and the amazing visuals, and the girls really come through with their energy.
Honorable Mentions:
Red Velvet - Automatic
Oh My Girl - Closer
Day6 - Congratulations
SHINee - View
Gain - Paradise Lost
Got7 - If You Do
f(x) - 4 Walls
What were your favorite music videos of 2015?
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