10 Clean Kpop Bops to Get You Hooked
Kirsten | August 3, 2021
I know I said I would update weekly-ish, but I got too hyped today and decided to upload my second post early. (^-^ )ゞ That's why this is here, for those of you wondering. Also, my site looked depressingly empty so I'm hoping this extra post will spruce things up. ✧ (≖ω≖人) Enjoy!
This is mostly for those of you who are new to Kpop since the idea is to provide songs that newbies get hooked on, but this could also be a great place to come to as an older Kpopper. This post could be alternately titled “The Songs I Think Everyone Should Know with As Much Variety in Genre As Possible,” so hopefully that gives you a better idea of what this is.
The first draft of this originally listed more than 10 songs, so I would like to disclaim that the final draft has less variety than the original. I consider Kpop an acquired taste which is why I tried to mostly include songs and music videos I remember liking when I first started out. A lot of those songs were cut out in the final draft, however, all the songs included are songs that I’m quite sure I would have liked as a new Kpopper if they had already existed.
There are some songs I like the sound of a lot that I didn’t include because I’m also doing this based on music videos. As for how I check whether songs are clean (because there are actually a number of inappropriate Kpop songs out there), for major groups normally there are really accurate translations of the lyrics in the subtitles of their music videos. For songs without translations in their music videos, the lyric translation channels I use the most are Zaty Farhani and Jaeguchi.
#1 BTS - “Not Today”
This music video is special to me because it was one of the first I watched before I was “into” Kpop, but it was one that I liked quite a bit. Even though I wasn’t a fan of BTS or Kpop yet, I still found the video intriguing and respected the people who created it. It fit my taste snugly, which I hadn’t expected. It was one of the defining factors in what led me to giving Kpop a chance.
The part that most strongly won me over was probably the running scene. The desperation the members (especially Jungkook) conveyed struck me. I love good actors. The charisma they displayed for this music video suited the music and lyrics very well. While we’re on the topic of the music and lyrics, I also have to admit I’m a sucker for a good hype song. Everyone could use some hype at some point in their lives, so I found real admiration for how BTS basically dedicated the song to anyone struggling in their lives through RM’s little speech at the beginning.
The choreography suited the theme well just like their acting and the synchronized dancing is insane. Not to mention, the settings where all this was taking place. The abandoned parking lot could have come off as low-budget and uninteresting, but instead it set the tone of what the music video was conveying. Besides the parking lot highlights, there was also the moment where the group danced on something like a mini Salt Flat. The aesthetics of that were amazing, seriously.
Of course, the best part of all of this is how it comes together. The build up of the music video with it’s relatable lyrics and intense scenes all cause you to -in my case, unknowingly- root for the members. Then towards the end of the running scene they fall like they’ve been shot and your breath catches. When Jungkook’s left, forlorn and alone, all you can think is “NOOOO!” The contrast of their determination to the pitiful reality they’re in causes you to really feel something and that is what makes this music video special.
#2 Seventeen - “Very Nice”
The pastels and cheesy acting were exactly what I was expecting out of Kpop music videos when I first watched this. While the acting did make me cringe, it wasn’t because it was bad but because it was awkward to watch the guys so obsessed with this girl. The fact that they were coming across as obsessed (when it’s doubtful that that was the case in real life) made me realize how good their acting was. Besides that, their ease in front of the camera and chemistry with each other was something that would have taken a long time to culminate. I realized that these guys must have put in lots of work for this.
I started to respect them not only for their talents in front of the camera but for the way the music video was set up. The explosions that seemed to signify the members’ hearts was clever symbolism for the guys “falling in love” and was a creative and memorable visual to enhance the video. The explosions were a great way to tie it all together and give so many members screen time to display their individual charm. Besides all that, the song was super catchy and easily became a household favorite among my family.
#3 Dreamcatcher - “BOCA”
This music video literally starts with a bang. It doesn’t mellow out from there; the girls are fierce and the lyrics are about as intense as it gets. The statement they relay is that “injury without a blade” (I interpreted this as referring to words that sting) is still serious and they are going to mobilize to prevent it. For people who have dealt with or are dealing with harsh words on a regular basis, this song would mean a lot. Besides the girls’ confidence and lyrics, the guitar solos remind me of hardcore anime intros. Everything about this music video and its song screams “We’re not holding back.”
Of course, as with all music videos, we have to discuss the aesthetics. After the explosion, the video opens onto a scene filled with neon lights while the girls are decked out in black vigilante-esque outfits to contrast. I find this scene reminiscent of the scene in End Game where Black Widow finds Hawkeye in Japan. Sure, that scene was grim (more accurately, gruesome), but that’s why it’s fitting to find something similar in such a serious music video. Besides the dark style of that scene, the aesthetics of the girls’ solo scenes that depict fallen beauty provide a complement to the roughness of the first setting while sticking with the theme.
#4 Stray Kids - “Miroh”
This is a unique creation because while the quality comes off as lacking to me after watching Stray Kids’ 2020 music videos, this music video is consistently picked as a favorite among new Kpoppers. When I first watched this, I was thrilled to find artists who created a piece so perfectly tailored to my tastes. Plus, I can’t not mention the mauri dancing and Bear Grylls references I never knew I needed. The plot and visuals are just complex enough to entice viewers without coming off as too strong.
The video’s intro starts with the members playing some sort of anarchists, coolly infiltrating the aristocrats’ event. Everything from there seems just as modelled to be mistaken for scenes from a movie. The rappers spit intense verses in some sort of control room filled with jungle deco to add to the wildness of the scene. The vocalists belt their lyrics out in front of a detective board covered in red string and bits of information. At the end, all the members party with their fellow anarchists wearing black ski masks with glowing faces painted on. Everything about these scenes has its own unique aesthetic not commonly found in the mainstream Kpop scene.
#5 BTS - “Dynamite”
“Dynamite” is my family’s absolute favorite song because it is 100% in English. The song came out long after I was a fan of Kpop so I wouldn’t know my opinion on it as a newbie. As it is, I like that the song is easy to sing along to as a native English speaker. Besides its language, I like “Dynamite” because it’s ridiculously catchy and lighthearted.
I’m not much of a fan of the music video, but felt the song was significant enough that I should include it anyway. I will say, the guys dressed up in snazzy suits were quite the treat. It’s always exciting to see a group try out a new look. Their goofing off together -and individually- was super heartwarming and a great sum-up of the group’s dynamics. Besides that, the video included the pastel aesthetics we all know I’m a sucker for by this point.
#6 YooA - “Bon Voyage”
Everything about this music video is gorgeous. It starts off with a shiny red car and a vibrant outfit and only gets more elaborate from there. Every setting is iconic and paired with a beautiful outfit to match. Not to mention, YooA was extremely immersed in her concept. She practically merged with nature for this. In every setting her movement varies to complement its aura which is such a thoughtful detail to include.
As for the song itself, it is one of the extremely unique ones when it comes to Kpop. Other than from IU, I’ve personally never heard any songs even remotely like this. It’s very much the sort of song they would blast at SeaWorld during a dolphin show, which is not generally the vibe mainstream Kpop goes for. One comment below the music video on YouTube summed it up very concisely by saying, “The song sound[s] like a Disney movie OST.”
![AE Top Musics' YouTube comment, "I love this song. The song sound[s] like a Disney movie OST."](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z9w5-XMiizaqktNgNghD2lq2KZfEB9l4w3inRFutsFszLTPve-183vVG3aAcOkd2k6kgefbN7svdgRjaMZ5lHyVnPnmGZhK_BR4RqBOG9T7_Spf0h4osXeh7Sespa5JF=w1280)
#7 Everglow - “Bon Bon Chocolat”
This music video has too many little details that enrapture me. The scene where each member is duplicated to create a sort of kaleidoscope effect is one. The moments with the yellow paper also tickled my aesthetic-seeking eyes. Besides that, in one of the settings, Sihyeon is wearing what I can only describe as a corset.
Moving on to more significant parts of the music video, their dancing is incredibly strong and clean. The synchronization of their arms in the clock hand choreography (for lack of a better name) is next level. Their facial expressions fit the concepts and choreography so well. Let’s not forget this is the girls’ debut song.
#8 CNBlue - “Then, Now, and Forever”
I know I could say this for a lot of Kpop music videos, but this was like something out of a Kdrama. What probably made it feel like that more than other music videos was the muted color scheme and nostalgic vibes it held. The vintage concept it has is one the more popular Kdramas love to use. Plus, of course, the guys all look like they could star in a TV Show.
The aesthetics of the instruments really played up one of their strengths, that they’re a band. Once again, in mainstream Kpop, bands aren’t as common which can turn being one into either a weakness or a strength. These guys turned it into a strength and I applaud them for it.
The increase of the color blue throughout the music video was such a clever touch. While this can point to their name, CNBlue, it can also be symbolic of feeling blue. The way everything is infected with blue can portray how people going through tough times sometimes feel as if their sadness is infecting everything in their daily life. This song is incredibly special because it was written by people experiencing the downs of life for people experiencing the downs of life.
#9 TRI.BE - “RUB-A-DUM”
The music video doesn’t wait to whip out the Doppelgängers. They show up within the first thirty seconds. Needless to say, the TRI.BE girls aren’t keeping their swords low. Even their facial expressions are on point--they look genuinely confused by their Doppelgängers and it pulls you in.
The hide and seek theme is genius. The aesthetics fit the playful theme with the horse in it’s gorgeous bridle and the colorful outfits the girls sport. In the individual scene, though, the girls’ aesthetics are elegant and powerful and I love that variety. To wrap up, I have to bring up the line “CUA CUA LIKE A GOOSE” because it is extremely quotable and not because it makes me laugh like a simpleton every time I hear it.
#10 Mamamoo - “Hip”
!!! Disclaimer: The song is fine but the music video is a bit inappropriate. There’s some suggestive dancing in short clothes (to put it mildly), but it’s mostly only for one of the individual scenes. Some of it is included in the first 10 seconds of the video so I would suggest starting the video and deciding if you want to keep going.
This music video is something unique (just like all the other ones in this post). It covers so many successful -fictional- women all living very different lives, which is an incredibly engaging concept. What I love about this is it suggests that each woman is equally important, whether she’s a president or mother. The music video ends by revealing that all these women are living in different universes, creating a sort of multiverse concept that is one of the biggest twists of a music video I’ve seen in awhile.
I love the pop culture/cartoony vibes of some of their aesthetics, like the box they start out in. With so many different realities portrayed, though, a lot of other aesthetics and concepts are covered. There’s a scene full of pop-rock aesthetic because Solar’s in a band and then a scene with a royal aesthetic because in that universe, Solar’s a princess. The multiverse concept is such a creative way to include variety, so I want to give huge props to the masterminds behind this music video.
That marks the end of the list of 10 clean Kpop bops to get you hooked. I hope it worked! I did my best to include a lot of variety and stick with things newbies would prefer, let me know how I did. As I mentioned before, there were originally more songs I was going to include so if you want, I’ll make a second post like this. If you want more Kpop related content, check out the Kpop section of my blog.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.”
Proverbs 4:23-24 (NIV)
