MV of the Month: Taemin's 'Press Your Number Performance Video Ver. 1'

February was a good month for Kpop MV lovers with strong releases from the likes of Winner, 4Minute, and Ladies' Code. But this time around, we're doing something never before done in the history of Music Video of the Month: we're giving the award to a performance video! Yes, you heard us right. But Taemin's "Press Your Number Performance Video Ver. 1" is no ordinary performance video. It is, quite literally, the best thing we've seen all month!

Zander: Let's be honest, Kpop fans, some months we struggle to find a worthy candidate for the great honor of Music Video of the Month. And if you haven't yet seen Taemin's performance video, you might think that February was one of those months, and that this is just a desperate attempt to find a worthwhile winner. But you would be mistaken. Tim and I had already identified several strong contenders for the month, and were actually fairly set on Winner's "Sentimental."

That was until I received a late-night email from Tim with a crazy idea: what if we gave the award to Taemin for a performance video? Crazy right? Except I had been planning on sending Tim the exact same email. This is not just a unanimous decision from the editors at Critical Kpop, but it's one that we both came to, independently, fully aware that it more or less breaks the rules of the competition in the first place. I really don't know if I can find higher praise for this video, but we'll try! So, Tim, did you ever think we'd give this out to a performance video? What was it about this video that captivated you so much?

Tim: Did I ever think we'd give this out to a performance video? Absolutely not! Performance videos often give a closer look at the choreography and the outfits that you'll be seeing anyway in the many weekly music shows.

What separates this performance video from the rest, even Taemin's other performance videos (one for "Drip Drop," and the second performance video for this very song) is one word: Abandon. While most performance videos look like a variation of a stage performance that I'll be seeing for weeks, this video takes a life of its own. Whereas I can tell when idols are thinking about their next dance move, this feels strangely unrehearsed, like Taemin has simply been captured by the music, and he can't even control himself. Even the handheld camera gives this a more impromptu feeling for me, which was what really captivated me, since none of this is actually impromptu. Are we on the same page, Zander? Or did something else grab your attention here?

Zander: I think we're at least in the same chapter! I mean, I love the word abandon to describe this performance video, but I'd probably point to a very specific moment when I feel it. To back up a bit, so this makes sense, the video opens with a motionless Taemin standing in the shallow stream of a spillway and set against the backdrop of a concrete bridge (it's beautiful, but in a detached sort of way). The music starts, softly, and Taemin matches it until the line "I'm feeling freaky," when he drops to one knee, firmly planting his leg in the water. It's the first sign of the abandon to come.

Immediately after, he swings his legs around and sweeps the water with his hand, drenching himself but creating a wonderful effect. Even then, though, I don't quite believe it. I don't believe that Taemin will be so bold! But something changes when the chorus begins, and what I see is an idol abandoning all pretense of what a typical idol in a music video should be (perfectly composed, detached and somewhat emo). Taemin just goes for it. He literally drops down into the water and lets go of anything that might be holding him back. He feels with such intensity in his dancing that I feel it too. And, for me, that ability to convey emotion is what allows this performance video to be analyzed as a traditional music video.

Tim: Emotions sure, but can we talk a little about the uninhibited sexuality in this performance as well? Talk about bold! I've said this in the podcast, that there's a distinct Prince and early Michael Jackson vibe I'm getting from this release. Some of the teasers too (including the one where he's about to kiss himself) really have shaped this androgynous image for Taemin that we don't really see in a lot of Kpop releases, where clear-cut masculine and feminine archetypes seem to be preferred.

While Taemin's music videos for this album don't really push any major envelopes (and I agree with Helen that the other video for "Press Your Number" is a mess), the closest video that does push the envelope is this performance video. I'm talking the more obvious crotch grabs (circa Michael Jackson), but also the dramatic twirls and flips, as well as the employment of his long limbs to create moves that many male dancers just can't do. He's like a wet ninja ballerina. Isn't that the definition of SEX in the dictionary (or am I looking at the wrong dictionary)? 

Zander: Sure, is that Webster's? I think that both of us are suckers for Kpop idols who bend the rules, especially when it comes to gender norms and stereotypes about sexuality. I guess the reason I love this performance video is that it showed me that something more was possible. It shattered my expectations, and it raised the bar for future releases. That, friends, is worthy of an award! Even YouTube has cottoned on to how much I love this video. Every time I open YouTube, Taemin's "Press Your Number Performance Video Ver. 1" is sitting right there in the "watch again" section.

And every time I'm like, yep!

MV of the Month: Jun. K's 'Love Letter'

You might have thought December was only for holiday ham and throw-away releases, but there's light to be found even in the depths of Kpop Winter! JYP Entertainment finished 2015 off right with Jun. K's solo release, "Love Letter." Read as Tim and Zander explain why this single deserves the not-so-hotly contested MV of the Month for December!

Zander: First of all, credit to Tim for finding us a winner for our December contest. Most months we spend time debating the merits of one video over the other challengers. In December, though, we usually can't find any challengers. So my thanks to Tim for being willing to take a risk on a December video titled "Love Letter." It paid off this time!

Tim: You’re right, the credit goes to me! It certainly doesn’t go to JYP, who hid this release deep in December. “Love Letter” was released earlier in Japan, yes, I know, but if it had gotten a Korean release before the holiday season, who knows what this song could have done on the charts! This is coming from someone that’s not a big boy band fan, although I do like quite a few of 2PM’s songs (I loved "My House" when no one else would touch it). I don’t even know much about the members. Do you, Zander? Who’s this Jun. K fellow?

Zander: If you don't know Jun. K, he's the lead vocalist for 2PM and a big part of the reason they've stayed relevant over the years. He's produced some great solo material before (see "No Love"), so it's no surprise that "Love Letter" succeeds first as a song. It starts with an instrumental that could open for the Rat Pack, and Jun. K's vocals are no slouch either. But the song turns on its head with a hip-hop section that bridges to the chorus, then melds back into a more traditional pop-ballad. We all know that mash-ups are big right now, but they fail if over- or under-produced. Jun. K gets it spot on with "Love Letter."

Tim: Good point, Zander - the beginning of “Love Letter” kind of reminds myself of what TTS did this holiday season with “Dear Santa,” where it starts off as a somber ballad then explodes into a...sorry to say, rather lame Christmas song. The difference being that “Love Letter” explodes to awesomeness! The greatest part is that the song doesn’t feel disjointed with different styles and genres of music - Jun. K brings it all together into a cohesive pop cacophony. Here’s the thing, this cacophony of discordance goes beyond the music - the music video itself is a mix of modern trappings and but also is a really cool nod to Georges Méliès’ iconic silent film, A Trip to the Moon. Which was released in 1902, friend! I mean, there’s some Charlie Chaplin imagery thrown in because Kpop, but a lot of that grainy black and white footage is a loving and clever nod to the classic film of yore. Did you even notice that, Zander?!  

Zander: Georges who??? Of course I didn’t notice that, Tim! I speak for the common man! Here I thought I was clever for noticing that Jun. K has a penchant for old-timey references in his music videos.

Take “Love and Hate,” for example, in which he mimics a turn-of-the-century magician for the first ten seconds of the video (and then promptly forgets about it).

I think it’s important to see this artist’s process developing over the course of time. Jun. K has always had an interest in this kind of imagery, but I think you’ve hit on something by suggesting that now he’s finally connecting the dots in a more meaningful way. It sounds like he’s going past appropriating early films as part of a stylistic conceit and is now providing a more thoughtful homage to something that clearly moves him. Is that how you see it? Can Georges Méliès’ help explain any of the puppetry and associated themes?

Tim: Of course he can, dummy! That puppetry harkens back to this older, idyllic time, just like the silent film, the typewriter, and hanging lights. Even the child in the music video can represent Jun. K reaching to his younger, innocence of childhood. But don’t be fooled! This video has a dark side - which is why it really stood out to me! As you’ll notice, surely, the love interest, about a minute and forty seconds in, is in a grave! He summons her in his remorse and she floats into the heavens as a star. 

Now, I don’t think for a second that this video is about grieving over a lover’s death - although it’s certainly grieving over a lost love, confirmed about two minutes and twenty seconds in, where one of his letters is marked: “Return to Sender.” 

In the idealized silent film fantasy, he travels to the Moon to reclaim her. In his “real” life he burns all the letters that have been sent back. The song is the same - we cut between the fantasy on the Moon, the brighter choreography scene, and then to Jun. K singing amongst the flames. There’s a strange tension here in the (again, discordant) images that you wouldn’t expect from something that could be characterized as a holiday song. That tension makes the video complex, and so very interesting! Am I reading too much here, Zander? Are my film-school-days getting the best of me? 

Zander: No, Tim, you’re right! And when you’re right, you’re right. Maybe the best thing we can say about “Love Letter” is that it rewards multiple watches (and listens)! I’m not sure I can say that about many December releases. But hopefully the bronze bowling statue we just shipped to Jun. K to commemorate his award goes some way toward expressing our gratitude for having woken up a sleepy month. And hopefully Tim’s sharp eye has helped you, reader, find more to love in this great MV!

MV of the Month: Verbal Jint's 'If the World was Perfect' (featuring Taeyeon)

November was full of memorable releases - but it was still incredibly hard to pick our MV of the Month! It's as they say, heavy lies the crown. But in the end, there could only have been one winner: Verbal Jint's (and Taeyeon's) "If the World Was Perfect." Here's Zander Stachniak and Timothy Moore, discussing why Verbal Jint gets the MV of the Month for November!

Zander: I'll be honest, Tim, the month of November was harder than usual to choose a winner. I'm not sure if that means there were more good MVs than usual, or just less that I felt passionate about. But Verbal Jint and Taeyeon's "If the World Was Perfect" has to be the standout. I feel like we say this every time, but for me, the music video perfectly matched the moodiness of the song and the heartbreaking lyrics. Now we've got to talk about this giant head.

Tim: That head tho! Kpop loves these giant heads - and when I first saw this, I have to admit, I rolled my eyes a bit! But then I rolled...my heart. Does that make sense? I mean, my heart was hurt/warmed simultaneously. It took me a bit to realize that the it was always the same guy that was messing with our big headed friend here, and then, if we can skip ahead here, by the end we realize that the big headed character and his antagonist are the same person (at least that's my interpretation!). 

In many ways, it's so so appropriate that Taeyeon has collaborated with Verbal Jint here, especially considering that her music video for "I" almost serves as the inverse for this music video. Throughout Taeyeon's video, she pictures her idyllic self and life, away from her (not really that) terrible waitressing job. 

While the character in this music video pictures himself as he believes others perceive him - a big headed, slow-witted buffoon. Both releases are about people's perceptions of themselves - for better and for worse - lying just on the opposite ends of that spectrum. It also helps that Taeyeon and Verbal Jint work so beautifully together that we get this cohesive experience with both of their releases, which I really find so cool! But am I interpreting this music video all wrong, Zander? Am I finding connections that aren't really there? Save me from myself! 

Zander: You're not wrong, Tim! I think there's a definite connection between "If the World Was Perfect" and Taeyeon's "I." While they're on opposite ends of the spectrum, in some ways, it's also entirely possible for both perspectives to be contained within a single individual. There's nothing inherently contradictory about imagining that others see you as a slow-witted buffoon and at the same time daydreaming of your idyllic self. Even though Taeyeon's MV is much lighter in tone, I find both videos to convey an immense sadness. Because make no mistake, Taeyeon's escape in "I" is only cathartic after first suffering.

But back to the video at hand. The realization that the big-headed character acts as both victim and tormenter is probably the most important thing to notice in this video. It's an apt metaphor for mental health issues. And the way in which the video announces this information (a reflection in still water) is spot on too. Much like you, I was quick to dismiss the papier-mâché head as gimmicky at first, but I learned to stop worrying and love the head! I found that because the tone of the video was overwhelmingly serious, the head never opened itself up to ridicule. The only misstep I would point out is the inclusion of the enormous, papier-mâché tear at two various points in the video. That, certainly, felt gimmicky. It was an unnecessary inclusion that attempted to crassly announce sadness in a video that otherwise finds strength in subtlety. And yes, I include the giant head in the category of subtlety (amazingly)! The moment at 0:48, when the character bumps into a car in the shop, is a good example of how the MV creates a subtle complexity.

Yes, the obviously large head begs to be noticed, but here we're not being clobbered with obvious symbolism. Instead, we're noticing awkwardness and an inability to fit in, emotions that are much harder to get across in a 4 minute video than "sadness." The more I watch this video, the more impressed I am! But tell me, Tim, do you think this video is too sad to be a major hit?

Tim: Good question! No, dummy! This is Verbal Jint and Taeyeon we're talking about - this song is a hit no matter what! Oh - you mean the music video? That I do think could be effected by the sad content. The first few times that I watched this video (and I wrote about this in This Week in Kpop too), I really thought it was a missed opportunity at showing Verbal Jint and Taeyeon in the actual video - maybe with even cameos or cutting to them singing, since Taeyeon is such a superstar. But I'm sure contractually and schedule-wise would be hard to put them together, and maybe it would have cheapened the music video. 

I'm always impressed when idols forgo appearing in their videos in such an image-obsessed, idol "idolatry" culture. It's pretty gutsy and allows for the work to stand by itself. While I think the release would have benefited with Taeyeon and Verbal Jint appearing together, I have a lot of respect for Verbal Jint for releasing a song and music video that touches on such a vulnerable subject, and one that isn't addressed enough in a Korean culture that doesn't like acknowledging mental health issues. Any last thoughts, friend?  

Zander: Only to say hear, hear! Mental health issues might not make for a "sexy" music video, but they do make for an honest and important one. My greatest hope for this video is that it creates a dialogue that is sorely needed.

Tim: Agreed!

MV of the Month: IU's 'Twenty-Three'

October was filled with killer music videos that will probably end up on our favorites of the year - but one stood out above the rest. We're talking IU's "Twenty-Three." Here's Zander Stachniak and Timothy Moore, discussing why IU gets the MV of the Month for October!

Zander: Well, Tim, I think we're in full agreement here that IU's "Twenty-Three" takes the prize this month. For me, that has everything to do with the way her lyrics, music, and visuals combine perfectly together to create a cohesive product. And even though this is an award for MV of the month, I just can't talk about "Twenty-Three" without talking about all three of those things. The lyrics demonstrate a playful uncertainty about what it means to grow up. I referred to that uncertainty as "inscrutability" in my review of the album, where almost every song intentionally mixes genres to create something that can't quite be categorized. And then there's the music video that, for me, perfectly matches that concept.

Tim: Yeah, there were some great videos in October - Twice's debut and f(x)'s 4 Walls being on the top of my list - but there was just something about IU's "Twenty-Three" that rose above the rest. I think your point about the cohesive product is a good one - I definitely love how the video matches the concept here. For me, I was thrilled to see IU in a new, surprisingly personal way. We've gotten IU, the young, lovelorn pop star, and in recent years we've gotten an IU that takes herself far more seriously - with her remake album and beautiful collaboration with Seo Taiji. So seeing a release so personal and so self-aware was a welcome change. 

Instead of looking for a love or looking to the past, IU looks inward - and the results are unbelievably charming. Just look at some of these lyrics: "...I want to be in love/No I rather make money" she sings, or, Zander, how about, "At first I never wrote/even a single line of lies," or "Even if I act rudely/People are always kind to me." She's singing about herself, her absurd life as a young pop idol, and the video perfectly conveys this quizzical outlook on her life. 

Zander: I would add Taeyeon's "I" to the list of strong October videos, but none of them come close to matching IU. There's definitely a sense of honesty about this release, but even that is couched within a fairly puzzling music video. 

IU is inhabiting the world of Alice in Wonderland, and that concept is anything but straightforward. The viewer follows IU down the proverbial rabbit hole, and the resulting imagery is duplicitous and kaleidoscopic. Is IU a bear or a fox? A woman or a young girl? Even the standard Kpop box is more reminiscent of an Escher drawing than regular geometry, and by the end of the MV we're firmly in acid trip territory. 

So I think that it would be unfair to only notice IU's seeming honesty in writing lyrics that apply to herself. Because even as she earns our trust, a wink and a Cheshire cat grin calls everything we think we know into question. To me, that is an incredibly powerful, but subtle, form of artistry. Again, without a strong sense of cohesion, I think this concept might not work. But it does, and I dig it!

Tim: I'd argue that this mischievousness is an essential part of her personality which is why she earns my trust, but I don't want to split hairs, or even hares (no one wants to see that!). You've nailed it by bringing up the acid-trip nature of the video. Just about every video that IU' has released this side "Marshmallow" is a cinematic treat - plucked from an imaginary movie screen. You watch "You & I" and it's like you've stumbled onto a convoluted children's fantasy. Heck, I'd pay to see that movie! 

And sometimes they take it a bit too far - like with "Every End of the Day," which is a video that makes another grab at authenticity but, unlike "Twenty-Three," feels short. The faux interview segments feel staged and we linger with IU in photo shoots, eating breakfast, drying her hair, for oh I don't know seventeen freaking minutes until we finally get a song, with a segment that involves IU spending her day with her unseen companion (hint: it's supposed to be you). I find this segment a bit creepy, but that's besides the point - the point is that it takes twenty-seven minutes of fake documentary work to paint a picture of IU - and while the video is beautiful, it falls short of doing so. 

Which brings me to my last point - "Twenty-Three" is just under four minutes long and it keeps that cinematic quality (it's a beautiful video - with stark blues and blacks), but with the crazy animation, costumes, and props that bring to life this song, this feels 1,000% more authentic. It's true to itself as a cohesive release, and, even with the contradictions (and, for me, because of them), it's true to IU. 

MV of the Month: Red Velvet's 'Dumb Dumb'

Admit it. You know you can't get the song out of your head. Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb, Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb, Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb...

And that's just one of the reasons why Red Velvet's "Dumb Dumb" has received our coveted Music Video of the Month for September! Get out the cheese puffs! Trash the office! Red Velvet has finally arrived!

Make no mistake, "Dumb Dumb" is a pop fantasia. While the song is by no means a masterpiece, and some have even bemoaned "Dumb Dumb" as another messy SM release, what works for this song is that this chaos builds so beautifully and quickly that before you know it, Irene's rapping Michael Jackson song titles while billie jean is splashed on the screen. And, if you have a heart, you're loving it. And if you don't love it, listen to the song again. Watch the video again. If you still don't love it, we have to ask: Do you even have a heart?



Because "Dumb Dumb" might be a mess of a song, but it's a mess in the way that Pollock made a mess of the canvas. And yes, we're calling this pop art, and ten years from now, we'll stand by this. And still you doubt. Have you even seen the music video?

Take a still, just about any still, and you can frame it on your wall. It's not just the poses, those glamour shots. Red Velvet bursts with charisma and confidence even when they don't crack a smile. While "Happiness" impressed, and "Ice Cream Cake" blew so many people away (it didn't wow us, personally), amidst all of the mayhem of "Dumb Dumb," we feel like this is the first time we're truly seeing Red Velvet as the superstar idols that they're destined to be.

We're talking personality, friends. And this video is loaded with it.

And maybe, just maybe it started with Yeri joining the group? While we've been big Joy fans since Red Velvet's inception, and the group seemed fine with just four members. Yeri has brought a youthful energy and charisma that balances perfectly with the rest of the girls. In fact, we'd argue that her inclusion has shot that infusion of personality into the group, and not just because she has killer stares or can brighten a room with a wink.



But, really, it's not any one member that can be completely attributed with Red Velvet's rise. While our heart beats for Joy and everything that she does, Irene is a killer rapper, Wendy's energy is electric, and Seulgi is a bonafide dancing queen.

Everyone has a chance to shine here, and if anything is missing from this video it's more of the hyper-ecstatic choreography, but don't worry, we got you covered! WATCH NOW.

We haven't even discussed what the video may mean - probably because we have no idea! Everything with the robot girls and factory work reads like a meta-commentary of manufactured pop and the beleaguered "studio system." While that's all well and good and a theory that could fill pages and pages of your undergrad dissertation (let alone two or three articles here at Critical Kpop - which you can write and send to us, we need more writers already!), we somehow doubt that SM Entertainment would be so provocative, or self-aware enough to question their own means of production.

But...maybe?

Perhaps SM is saying something between the lines, and we would be the first to make that observation, but even if there's not a single cohesive narrative here or even an inkling of societal commentary, "Dumb Dumb" is a triumph. It's ecstatic, it's mesmerizing, and now we can finally say that Red Velvet's "Dumb Dumb" is our MV of the Month for September! 

MV of the Month: SHINee's 'Married to the Music'

The month of August was filled with potential contenders for the title, Music Video of the Month. Girls' Generation, Big Bang, maybe even HyunA? All of them were good. But nothing stood out for us quite like SHINee's "Married to the Music." Released one month ago yesterday, let's ask Timothy Moore and Zander Stachniak to give us a rundown of just why SHINee takes the prize!

Tim: When I heard that SHINee released a "horror video" for "Married to the Music," my expectations were definitely not high. And, really, this isn't a "horror" video per se, as the video is essentially very silly as opposed to horrifying. And that's really where I was blown away, how far these guys go in looking ridiculous or awful...or decapitated.

Yes, there's moments where they can flex their idol-charisma, but there's also time for Taemin to lose his eyes, Key to lose his head, Jonghyun to throw up confetti (and lose his mouth), Onew to lose his nose, and Minho to get his head all burnt! It's all rather refreshing to see your favorite idols in the midst of unflattering, gruesome imagery and it shows the confidence SHINee has that they can go all out. The whole time I'm watching this video, I couldn't help but think, is this really an SM video? And that's awesome to have my expectations checked.

Zander: That's a really good point, Tim. Not only is this unexpected for an SM video, but it's unexpected for any idol to purposefully allow himself to look anything less than perfect. What I love about this video is that SHINee took a risk in going the zany route. Instead of horror, I'd describe this video as akin to walking through a Halloween funhouse. There's gruesome bits, like eyeballs rolling on the floor. But it's also obviously fake, like Key's glowing green entrails, which makes it fun more than anything. This might be the first music video that has made me laugh out loud. When the sink sprouted a hand and grabbed Onew's nose, that was it for me! 

And even though the lyrics are clearly about a love interest, I can't help but want to read something else into it. I see SHINee here as celebrating their (often crazy) lifestyle as Kpop idols, as being "married to the music" you might say. When we hear and read about so many idol groups disbanding, struggling with depression and burnout, or complaining about slave contracts, it's hard not to look at SHINee as an exception, as at least one group that is in love with what they are doing. Or maybe this is just really great marketing by SM.

Tim: I think they definitely love what they're doing - and it shows in the video! This marriage has definitely stood the test of time! And if you're loving the official video, why not check out the performance version?

Then tell me they don't love the music, with all their hearts!

MV of the Month: Infinite's 'Bad'

July has been jam-packed with big-name Kpop releases. But, of course, there can only be one music video of the month! With the stakes higher than ever, Zander Stachniak and Tim Moore sit down to discuss why INFINITE's "Bad" deserves the title of MV of the Month for July of 2015.

INFINITE - "Bad" (360 VR version)

Zander: To me, "Bad" was an obvious choice for MV of the Month. It's all about ambition. So many groups use summer as an excuse to release sub-par music or concepts that lack any ingenuity. But INFINITE went the opposite direction, releasing what, I think, is maybe the most ambitious project I've seen all year.

Tim: In total agreement here, Zander! I actually would have been satisfied with "Bad" with the more traditional video, as it's a killer song in a very middling, relatively safe (boring) summer. But the VR version really puts this release on another level, which is really what you should be going for with your music video anyway, right? The 360 movement really adds an interactive layer here that makes it endlessly re-watchable. One time I just focused on inanimate objects, like that random deer in the hallway, and those mirrors! Every time you watch this video, if you're skilled enough on your mouse, could be a different experience. Talk about inventive, right?!

Zander: The interactive nature of the 360 VR version is such a big deal! Cinema (and any kind of film media) is often discussed as being defined by an absence. As viewers, we watch, we witness, but we are unable to change anything. We're there, but we're also absent. Virtual reality changes our relationship with viewable media. Suddenly we can move the camera around, zoom in on one expression, or even ignore the main spectacle. It's not true interactivity, not yet, but it's close! The 360 VR version allows each viewer to have his or her own experience!

Tim: What's great about this "viewer experience" is that this music video has a life of its own as well. 'L' wrote about the music video earlier this month and a lot of the symbolism with duality and mirrors that the "original" music video conveys. A lot of that bleeds into the 360 VR version and how we can essentially see what's on the other side of this "mirror" reality, or, as it may be, "realities." That's some quantum-level physics up in here! L actually goes into more detail about the craziness better than I ever could, so why don't I link her article right here?

INFINITE - "Bad" (standard version)

Zander: Absolutely. "Bad" is not just a video with virtual reality frills, it has real purpose behind it. Speaking of quantum-level physics though, I think the best view I've found is to look directly down when the guys are in the hallway. You can see all their reflections at the same time, going in four different directions. It's worth the trip. So check out INFINITE's "Bad," our vote for MV of the Month, and let us know what your favorite moments of the video are!

MV of the Month: Big Bang’s ‘Bang Bang Bang’

It was inevitable, really. With BIGBANG releasing music videos at the astounding rate of two per month, they just had to make our list at some point. But make no mistake: this isn’t a numbers game. With “Bang Bang Bang,” BIGBANG has proven that you don’t have to choose between quality and quantity. Let’s review why their third release from the MADE project is our Music Video of the Month for June of 2015!

'L' referred to “Bang Bang Bang” as a “visual onslaught” in episode 3 of the Critical Kpop Podcast. And the video starts out by immediately disorienting the viewer. As we zoom down a traffic tunnel the camera spins on axis. What was right-side up is now upside down. Visual onslaught seems to be the intention throughout the video. Forget what you think you know. You’re in BIGBANG’s world now!

And where else could a cowboy yell at a spaceman? T.O.P’s part in the MV involves some gloriously fun cosplay. In his first scene, he dresses as both a southern NASCAR fan and an astronaut. But this is more than just for kicks; this is all part of T.O.P’s oeuvre, a developing body of work where he references meaningful films. Here, we see an homage to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, an homage which first began with the apes in “DOOM DADA.” It’s artistic references like this that make T.O.P more than just one of the best recognized rappers in Kpop; he’s also a connoisseur of culture. How many people do you know who can wear a steampunk leather trenchcoat with a bearskin cap? Not many.

Just after T.O.P’s rap battle with himself, we’re treated to a gritty scene of Seungri rising from the dead, bringing with him a legion of zombies. But Seungri also brings the controversy when he sports a Native American headdress while tooling around on his motorcycle. Accusations of cultural insensitivity were once again on the lips of viewers, and this time, there isn’t any excuse. We thought Kpop had learned its lesson with T-ara’s “Yayaya,” but no such luck. And maybe there’s a simple explanation here. Maybe Seungri was jealous: T.O.P has his bearskin cap, Taeyang and G-Dragon have their red and pink hair, and even Daesung has a churlish new mop affixed to his skull. Maybe Seungri was feeling overshadowed. Maybe this was his way of acting out, of seeking attention like a petulant child. Well, it worked.

And then there was Daesung. Beautiful, never-insulting Daesung. How can we forget about Daesung? Oh, maybe it has something to do with the fact that he is apparently now trying to hide his face entirely. There’s a great moment on Yoo Hee Yeul’s Sketchbook where Daesung admits that until covering his face, he’s never before been called handsome so many times! It’s this self-deprecating humor that makes us love him! On the other hand, if there’s one forgettable scene in this music video, it’s the scene with Daesung. Is he supposed to be a pimp? We’re not sure, but there’s so much else going on in this video that it’s hardly worth thinking about.

Like G-Dragon putting women on a leash! Seriously, this was a major controversy for BIGBANG, as everyone’s favorite boundary-pusher was at it again. Critics cited the incident as a terrible model for gender equality, and pointed out that the woman was also black, a group with an even worse history of representation in Kpop (see: blackface). While gender inequality and cultural insensitivity are real issues, and ones we would like to see addressed, it is difficult to fault G-Dragon when the black woman on the leash was the choreographer herself. That’s right, choreographer Parris Goebel was the creator of this stunt. Although we’re not going to raise the alarm over this, we can’t really support it either. BIGBANG is an immensely popular group, and any way you want to justify it, they now have a music video in which black women are put on a leash.

But enough of the controversy! Let’s get back to the good stuff, the juicy stuff, the...sexy stuff. Because even in BIGBANG’s world, one thing remains the same - sex still sells! And Taeyang peddles it like few others. Not only does he ride a badass armored personnel carrier (or APC) like it’s his broken stallion, flamethrowers spurting fire behind him, but he also has the guts to dance in front of no less than eight men with no less than forty-eight chocolate abs between them. Ignoring the insane amount of eye-candy here for a moment (we know, it’s hard), this takes a lot of confidence. It’s not like Taeyang is in danger of being overshadowed, but few male idols have such courage!

And all of that was just our description of the solo parts of the music video! When the five guys get together, they dance with a bevy of beautiful women, bounce on low-riders with hydraulics, ride motorcycles into the sunset, and shoot pistols and grenade launchers and flamethrowers! BIGBANG’s “Bang Bang Bang” is June’s Music Video of the Month because it is the quintessential Kpop MV. It’s visually stunning, bombastic, full of controversy, and, most importantly, loads of fun.

MV of the Month: BTS, 'I Need U' (Original Version)

Big Bang may be dominating charts and music shows right now, but even though we're singing "Loser" in the shower and watching the surrealist "Bae Bae" over and over again, BTS undoubtedly gave us a music video that rose above all others to grab hold of the coveted MV of the Month for May! Let's talk a bit about the rated 19 "Original Version" and why we think BTS, with this one video, have grown from boys to men right before our very eyes. 

BTS had a stellar 2014. We've written extensively on how BTS makes us rethink hip hop in a Korean context or how Dark&Wild Volume 1 built on their strong foundation. Needless to say, we're big fans of BTS. Just look at "War of Hormone."

They can even slay with a goofy girl-chasing release that literally has lyrics about bursting pimples. One of our favorites, "We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2" had a music video that was essentially a manual on boyhood (notice: gun motions, basketball jerseys, football shoulder pads, skateboards). Few can match BTS' manic, boyish energy, and we love them for that. But with Kpop, even what we love from our favorite groups can become stale. With a release schedule that find most idols releasing 2-3 new songs a year, the threat of boredom is certainly accelerated. BTS smashes boredom for breakfast. 

"I Need U" isn't so much a departure from boyish romanticism. If you just watched the cut version, you'll see flashes of danger, but mostly more of the same joyous mayhem. We wouldn't be talking about the "I Need U" video if this was the only version. We'd just be talking about the song, which is amazing and tows the line between thrilling and dark, sullen and desperate.

But the "Original Version" of "I Need U" takes BTS' boyishness and adds an element of growing up that is just as significant for young men and women the world over. Trauma.

Much ado has been made about the violence throughout this music video, and there is that. Some of the violence and images aren't for the faint of heart. But if you're just looking at the violence, you're missing out. Violence in itself isn't interesting. The context here is everything.

If we were just given scenes of heartbreak or misery, we really wouldn't get the full spectrum of the human experience. A video of misery would probably leave us numb (and bored). The fact that we get scenes of joy and friendship makes the brutality and heartbreak that much more, well, heartbreaking. Life isn't (for the lucky of us) simply misery or even absolute joy.

That's the tension of life: It's messy, complicated, and, sometimes, bloody. Sometimes, there's just. So. Much. Blood.

Okay, this video can be a bit melodramatic. And most people's lives, we hope, don't involve stabbing a guy to death with a broken beer bottle (not judging, V). There are some interpretations of this video that involve the deaths of just about all of BTS by the end of the video. While we don't subscribe to that theory, it wouldn't be out of left field to make that conclusion, especially in a Kpop video.

But you can't deny that this video is heart-wrenching, and you can't deny that the things within the video - depression, violence, suicide, stupid decisions, are things that happen on a daily basis. By the time we get to V stabbing that abuser to death, Jimin (perhaps) drowning himself in his tub, Suga setting his room on fire, cut with scenes of sparklers and laughter and racing, the tension between the video's unabashed joy and unrelenting trauma hits a breaking point. And we, the audience, are the ones that are broken.

BTS has always had the talent and the killer releases. With "I Need U" (again: Original Version), they have created a heartbreaking examination of boyhood and trauma. Putting those two elements together, you get the MV of the Month for May.

Timothy Moore writes from Chicago. He blogs at Read My Blog Please, and edits at Ghost Ocean Magazine. His biases are T-ara, Block B, Nine Muses, Brown Eyed Girls, and Girl's Day.

MV of the Month: Lim Kim, ‘Awoo’

April was full of big name comebacks. Exo, EXID, and miss A among them. Surely one of these big name, big money groups, with all the resources at their disposal, would win the coveted MV of the Month? Not so. Though there were plenty of enjoyable music videos in the month of April, it was Lim Kim’s “Awoo” that stood out from the rest as a true masterpiece.

Love songs are a dime-a-dozen, but “Awoo” manages to feel fresh by focusing on the playful act of seduction. “I shake my hidden tail,” Lim Kim sings. “I flirt with you. You fall for me.” Lim Kim uses a cat as the metaphor for this seduction, reminding us how stingy the animals are with their displays of love, how graceful, how playful. But Lim Kim plays the other side, too. She is both the flirty feline and the person who teases the cat to win its affection.

It’s a more nuanced take on seduction in a genre that is desperately short on subtlety. Lim Kim doesn’t wave her butt at the camera or gyrate her hips. She doesn’t dance provocatively or signify male genetalia. In “Awoo,” she shows us that sexuality is about a lot more than obvious physicality. It’s a mind game, and Lim Kim plays that game throughout the music video. She waves a cat toy. She steals the last piece of the puzzle. She knocks over a vase because she knows she can get away with it. Lim Kim torments us, and it’s brilliant.

There’s no signature dance move in “Awoo,” unless you count the fluttering of her fingertips. There’s actually not much motion at all. And yet, the video feels perfectly paired with the rapid iterations of the EDM beat. Lim Kim nods her head, and it is all we need to do the same. She taps her fingers and the music takes us back and forth. The screen flickers when the beat becomes too intense. And the colors! Every little piece and prop is artfully chosen (and we’d expect no less from Mystic Entertainment).

Given the beauty and precision of “Awoo,” it’s easy to forget just how new to Kpop Lim Kim is. After placing third in Superstar K3 (as a member of Togeworl, along with Do Dae-yoon), Lim Kim made her solo debut in 2013. And what a debut it was. Releasing two EPs and one full-length album, Lim Kim hit the top 20 with six separate songs, including “Colorring,” “Rain,” “Voice,” “Goodbye 20,” “Happy Me,” and of course, “All Right.” She earned Best Newcomer awards from both Melon and Golden Disk. And now she’s back working with Do Dae-yoon and Togeworl for her new album, Simple Mind. Not only does “Awoo” herald the comeback of a great artist, but it teases us with what’s to come.


Zander Stachniak is a southern-born, Chicago-based writer who first discovered Kpop through ShoutCast Radio. His biases are f(x) and Block B.