K-pop videos are always an amazing visual and aural experience. But are you looking for music videos that are a step beyond the usual? Why not give animated music videos a try? Animation can just be as compelling and powerful storytelling tools, and the resulting music videos can be equally memorable.
Here are 11 fully- and partially-animated K-pop music videos to brighten up your day, suck you into another universe, or let you think about life. Who knows, by watching these animated music videos, you might even discover a new favorite group or soloist to follow!
That’s Okay – D.O (EXO)
In 2019, EXO’s main vocalist D.O gifted fans with his solo single That’s Okay just before enlisting for his mandatory service. The song is released with a heartwarming animated music video.
In the video, a man sees a wilting cactus while moving into his apartment and decides to take care of it. He nurtures the plant until it’s revived. Later on, it’s revealed that the man became a homebody due to grief over losing his dog. Eventually, the cactus sprouted some flowers, which seemed to bring the man out of his depression.
Through the song—and the animated music video—D.O reassured EXO-Ls that no matter what they’re going through, everything will eventually turn out okay.
Watch the music video below:
Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment) – BTS
Shortly after BTS released their official video for Yet to Come from their anthology album Proof, they came out with a special animated music videos for the same single. The animated video evoked the same sentimental feeling as the official music video, but in a more fun and cute way. In the video, the members trek across a desert, just like in the original. They stumble and slide down, and meet a purple humpback whale that takes them to an island paradise.
The video also doubled as a teaser for BTS Island: In the SEOM, a video game and a virtual space for “healing and relaxation.” The game was launched on June 28, 2022.
This isn’t the first animated MV from BTS, though. The group has released animated videos for their comeback trailers such as Intro: What am I to You?, Intro: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life part 1, and Intro: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life part 2 ‘Never Mind.’</i
Watch the adorable music video below:
Supercar – Heize
Rapper/singer Heize released her second full-length album, Undo, on June 30, 2022, and one of her B-sides, Supercar, comes with a colorful, yet melancholy music video. In this track, Heize sings about a magical supercar that runs so fast, so that could take her back to a relationship that has ended. The bittersweet lyrics complement the music video, where a woman in a bright yellow sports car races through her memories—both happy and sad.
Sing along and feel the emotions while watching the music videos below:
Hate You – 2NE1
Hate You showed K-pop fans that 2NE1 is just as badass in cartoon form. In this 2011 music video, the girls are the heroines chasing after a villain who blew up a town. They follow the villain, disguised as a man, into a pub, and engage in a brief fight before he escapes. The chase continues, and when they finally caught up with their enemy, it’s revealed that the being is actually some kind of monster. They successfully fight off the monster and emerge victorious, and they drive away into the pink sunset.
Watch the action-packed video below:
Tomboy – Hyukoh
Korean indie pop-rock band Hyukoh collaborated with illustrator Park Gwang-soo for the music video of their 2017 track Tomboy.
The song, according to lead singer Oh Hyuk, depicts the confusing and depressing side of youth, where everything is unfamiliar and uncertain. The black-and-white animated music video brilliantly translates the lyrics in a video packed with symbolism. The human-like figures are ablaze with the conflicting feelings of passion and bright hopefulness mixed with confusion, insecurity and desperation.
Watch the thought-provoking music video below:
Eight – IU feat. Suga (BTS)
In Eight, IU and Suga expressed the loneliness and fleeting nature of life, and the longing for a place with no sadness and where everyone could live happy and free. It also talks about the yearning to revisit precious memories, and to live life without taking anything or anyone for granted.
The music video flits between live action and animation, beginning when IU goes to a lab to presumably download her forgotten memories. IU then sees flashes of memories, as well as fantastical adventures throughout the song, before she wakes up again as the song draws to a close.
See IU’s ethereal visuals—both live action and animation—in the music video below:
Super Duper – Super Junior
If you’re looking for music that will surely lift your mood, look no further—because Super Junior is coming to your rescue! Their 2018 SM Station single, Super Duper, will get you moving to the funky beat in no time.
The accompanying music video is just as much of a happy pill, as the music videos reflects much of the group’s lively and chaotic personality. Plus, the animation’s bright, solid colors add to the overall cheerful vibe you’ll get from the song.
This is not the only animated music videos that the group has released. They came out with the Latin pop-infused Animals in 2018. The music video featured the animated versions of the members matched with their zodiac signs. In 2020, they released the sweet, Christmas-themed animated music videos for Tell Me Baby, a B-side from the group’s Renaissance album.
Dance to the beat while watching the kooky music video below:
Where the Sea Sleeps – Day6 (Even of Day)
Where the Sea Sleeps is a ballad from Day6’s sub-unit Even of Day, released in 2020.
The track has a comforting vibe; the lyrics sing about promising to stay together even through hardship. It’s also as if the band members are also reassuring their fans that no matter what happens, they will always be by their side.
The song’s music video complements the lyrics surprisingly well. In the music videos, three animal friends build a rocket ship and journey to space. However, they fly into several asteroids, which destroys the rocket ship and eject the friends onto a nearby planet. All three initially lose consciousness, and for a while, everything seems lost. But, the animal friends wake up, and using a compass they were able to swim to shore and safety—showing that they will always stick together.
Watch the music video below:
Savage – aespa
K-pop crosses over to the metaverse with aespa’s Savage. This music video from the fourth-gen super rookies blends live action, computer graphics, and animation. In the music videos, the girls continue their quest to reunite with their avatars in the SM Culture Universe (SMCU). The lyrics might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially as it contains plenty of references to elements in the group’s SMCU storyline that some might find a little jarring to listen to. But the vibrant, sassy energy of the song pairs well with the aggressive, yet sophisticated vibe of the music videos.
Step into the metaverse with aespa today:
Dream – Eric Nam ft. Park Jimin
This video is quite different from the other music videoss on this list, because the “animation” is actually sand art! Eric Nam, together with Park Jimin, sing about longing for a lost love in Dream. The song and the music video tells the story of a couple who have gone their separate ways, but still look back on their relationship with nostalgia and a bit of yearning.
The sand art transitions throughout the music videos makes watching it feel like being in an actual dream sequence. Check out the music video below:
Hold My Hand – Lee Hi
Singer and songwriter Lee Hi’s refreshing vocals and adorable visuals take center stage in her music video for Hold My Hand. But despite the song’s cheery tone and the music videos’ cute 8-bit graphics, the lyrics tell the story of a heartbroken individual longing for their ex-lover to come back and love them again.
Jump into this cute video game simulation-like video below:
While music videos featuring drama plotlines and slick choreography will always be fascinating both to fans and non-fans, animated music videos offer a different, yet refreshing charm that only adds to the rich K-pop scene. Which one in our list is your favorite?
Featured Image: Screenshot from Youtube video – Day6 (Even of Day) – Where Sea Sleeps
