Top 5 BTS Music Videos K-Pop Newbies Should Watch

Years ago, Japanese pop may have dominated international airwaves from the East, but South Korea has since knocked those charts down. Korean pop music, better known as K-pop, has been slowly growing in the U.S. over the years – and it is predicted to hit a fever pitch soon. If you thought Psy was the crescendo of K-pop’s fame, then you might want to introduce yourself to BTS. After all, the seven-member boy band is taking off, and their diehard fandom is raising eyebrows everywhere.

In recent weeks, BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) has situated itself atop publications like Vogue, Rolling Stone, and dozens more. The K-pop group made history as of late when they took home a Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artist. The hip hop-based group took down competitors like Justin Beiber and Ariana Grande as BTS’ fans accumulated more than 300 million votes for the crew. And, now, ComicBook is ready to school you in the art of BTS.

If you want to know more about the band’s music videos, then you have come to the right place. BTS may be known for its lit beats and socially progressive lyrics, but their music videos are considered by even the staunchest critics to be pieces of art. From “No More Dream” to “Danger” and “Not Today,” BTS has racked up an impressive list of music videos filled with poetic imagery and LOST-style symbols.

In the slides below, you can check out five BTS music videos which every K-pop fan should watch. So, sit back and find your nearest pair of dancing shoes. If J-Hope doesn’t manage to make you body roll after watching these videos, then no one ever could.

Run

Released in 2015, “Run” is the kind of music video which will make your heart tired from sheer emotional exhaustion. Not only do the boys of BTS find themselves running all over the MV, but the video’s gritty pastel aesthetic will make you think of the least beautiful moments of youth. The video for “Run” is linked directly to “I Need You” as the pair take place in set of related albums. BTS released three albums under the theme “The Most Beautiful Moment In Life,” and this video is meant to depict the freedom of youth along with its anchors. Two members are seen butting heads during the video, and its otherworldly quality hints that everything in “Run” isn’t as peaceful as it seems. And, really – it’s not. 

Fire

Sometimes, you just want to go out with your squad and have a lit night. The idea is simple, but BTS managed to pull it off beautifully in the music video for “Fire.” At its core, the video is meant to address haters of BTS by calling out their online critiques. However, to do just that, the energetic group decided to fight their fire with – well – “Fire.” The bombastic track features killer bass drops, and the music video focuses much of its attention on the band’s slick choreography. If you want to test your own dance moves, fast-forward to 3:33 and try to mimic the gang’s footwork there.

Spring Day

BTS is best-known for its aggressive beats, but every band has to shake things up once in awhile. “Spring Day” stands as one of the band’s most recent ballads, and the lilting track comes complete with an “MV” which will tear at your heartstrings. The single is one where BTS discusses how they miss their friends and loved ones, but its use of literary allusions had fans feeling rather emotional. “Spring Day” borrows heavily from the 1973 short story “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin. The video follows the estranged boys are they travel to meet under a blooming cherry blossom tree, and its poignant callbacks to the videos for “Run” and “I Need You” left fans in tears.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

If you are looking for a visual spectacle, then K-pop is ready to offer up the music video for “Blood, Sweat & Tears.” As one of BTS’ most recent tracks, the single houses electronica beats which sound like they’ve come from a Top 40 hit from David Guetta. The contemporary track features some of BTS’ best vocal runs to date, and its music video is an indulgent exploration of living artwork. Influenced heavily by “Demian: The Story of Emil Sinclair’s Youth,” the song’s video calls upon classical aesthetics to stun fans. The video is set in a museum of sorts, and BTS find themselves turned into living exhibitions as they are dropped into famous pieces of art.

I Need You (Original Version)

Rather than a music video, BTS gave fans a full-on short film with its take on “I Need U.” The fan-favorite track was the first single to win BTS music awards back in South Korea, and its music video lent to its overwhelming success. “I Need U” is a love song about a couple on its last legs, but the track’s music video is anything but romantic. The footage follows each member of BTS as they grapple with their transition into adulthood. Each boy faces a unique vice which ultimately leaves them worse for wear. And, to this day, fans are still furiously trying to decide who all exactly dies in the heart-wrenching video.