For a moment, I debated whether or not to go forward with this particular countdown this year. Yes, K-pop music videos are generally great, but to be honest I just don’t watch them as intently as I used to. I’m much more familiar with the music than the visuals, which threatens to turn this list into a countdown of my favorite artists whose videos I actually watched intently rather than a somewhat objective look at visual achievements. What you end up with here is a bit of both, which means I’d be very curious to hear your own lists!
2025 YEAR-END MASTERPOST
Honorable Mentions:
NTX – Over N Over
Close Your Eyes – All My Poetry
ILLIT – Little Monster
&TEAM – Back To Life
ILLIT – Do The Dance
ARTMS – Icarus
Tempest – In The Dark
BABYMONSTER – We Go Up
AHOF – Pinocchio
I love sci-fi themed music videos and NouerA delivered with both of their title tracks. I give N (Number Of Cases) the slight edge because its variety of set pieces are very visually striking.
Blue Valentine uses surreal imagery to enhance the song’s emotional wallop, delivering memorable visuals that feel ripped from a dream (or nightmare?).
ILLIT were music video MVPs this year and it was hard to choose a favorite. When it comes down to it, I found Jellyous‘s quirky stop/start staging to be most visually compelling.
This has the feeling of “bringing the Avengers of K-pop together” and perfectly compliments the song’s gradual build. I love the contrast between light and dark.
My favorite TWS music video of the year is the least TWS-coded. There are some visuals here (the dancing in the elevators, the slow motion bullet) that instantly replay in my head whenever I hear the song. That’s the sign of a video that works.
The song calls for a crazy, campy, colorful video and LE SSERAFIM delivered. It knows its kitschy theme and plays it for all it’s worth.
I love the colors, tone and fashion in this video. It has a nostalgic, found-footage feeling that compliments the quirky twists of the song.
I may not be totally convinced by the song, but the grimy, mud-soaked video is a real highlight. SM threw the budget at them and it shows.
2. RIIZE – ODYSSEY (Visual Album)
I’m not sure this quite held together in the way I’d hope from a visual album (and I’m still irked that Ember To Solar didn’t get a full mv), but I feel like they need to be high on the list for their ambition alone. Having visuals for so many of the tracks on this fantastic album is a real treat.
Close Your Eyes’s music is quite idiosyncratic and deserves visuals that echo that style. Snowy Summer‘s silly story of ghosts and pizza and snow in summer offers a feast of fun, world-building imagery that elevated the song from a simple ditty to a cinematic highlight.