Celebrity Style8 K-Pop Music Videos With Striking DesignVibrant colors and even architecture help tell the stories of these songs

By Flor Vergara

June 17, 2022

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Estos videos de K-pop utilizan el color y la arquitectura como herramienta para contar historias. THE FACT / Getty Images.

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The design of K-pop music videos plays an important role in an industry that relies heavily on imagery, aesthetics, and appearances. K-Pop artists have taken it upon themselves to use elements like color or architecture that may seem commonplace and turn them into storytelling tools in their videos. These are some of our favorites examples that thoughtfully use these fantastic elements. 

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“Dumb Dumb” by Red Velvet

This colorful video was released in 2015 and is a favorite among K-Pop fans. In this video, the group is seen dancing to fast-paced beat in a 1970s gothic-style pastel office, creating a dazzling contrast. The color palette of this video, which features cool blues and greens, plum reds, and mustard yellows, directly reflects the upbeat vibe of the song.

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“Countless” by SHINee

With a much more vibrant color palette, the video for “Countless” by SHINee creates an electric atmosphere in a calm and relaxed music video. Each band member is framed with unique color combinations, giving a glimpse into each one's personality. This video does not feature a narrative, but offers detailed moments where the combination of the smooth rhythm and evocative use of color in the video provides a hopeful message about the band's future.

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“Restless” by BIBI

BIBI's “Restless” is a clear example of the magic created by oversaturating monochromatic color schemes. The colors in this video create a visual representation of what it means to fall in love, for example, using a fog filter to highlight the interest and taking “rose-colored glasses” to the next level. In addition to the special use of pink, complementary tones such as green and red make the video stand out and capture the audience's attention.

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“You and I,” “Above The Time,” and “Blueming” by IU

Home is an important narrative element in many K-pop videos, but especially in videos staring IU. The singer created a joint narrative in the videos of “You and ” (2011) and “Above The Time” (2019) where a fairytale dollhouse is a metaphor for two lovers separated by time and parallel worlds.

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This special design presented an excellent opportunity for the set designers to add additional clues to elaborate the narrative, letting fans deduce hidden messages when viewing the videos in order. 

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In the third installment of this universe, IU wakes up in a house with a garden of blue roses, and she's later seen painting a white rose this cobalt color. Since blue roses don't occur in nature, they often symbolize something that's unattainable or impossible love. These clever details only add to the lyrics and the messages across the three videos.  

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“What's Happening?” by B1A4

B1A4's videos often rely heavily on architecture which is used to frame the narrative in the productions. In the music video for “What 's Happening?”, group members are squeezed inside a small dollhouse, which hints at the suffocating message of the song in which a lover is unfaithful.

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“Lonely” by B1A4

In the video for the song Lonely, the band once again uses architecture to represent a relationship, in this case a non-existent one. For that reason, the house is dyed white and gray, ready for the protagonist to leave it behind. 

In all music videos, colors and set design are carefully planned elements that add to the song's narrative. However, the K-pop industry has taken this tool the next level, particularly to expand the music's reach. Since many fans may not speak Korean, bands must resort to a visual and aesthetic language to convey the story. 

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