EXO not only has beautiful songs, but they also excel with great music videos!
One of the most highly-anticipated things for fans, aside from a song release, is a music video drop! Companies spend a huge amount of money for the production of videos, and a lot of effort is given to complete the different preparations needed for filming.
As EXO recently celebrated their eighth anniversary, here are eight of the most iconic music videos they have released since debut! They are listed in no particular order, so enjoy watching some of their most popular and beloved videos below.
1. “Mama”
This may be the debut song of the group, but this music video is very something unique. From the very start of the video, there is an epic introductory story telling about the “Tree of Life.” Each of the members use their superpowers in the video, and the world was fully introduced to the concept EXO had carefully prepared. There is a Chinese version available to watch by clicking here, or you can watch the popular Korean version below.
2. “Power“
This music video is different from EXO’s usual video style. The concept of this video is similar to comic books, and the members use their supernatural powers to fight against an enemy. It’s fun, it’s thrilling, it’s quirky, and you get to see the guys being both cool and funny. Plus, the lyrics to the catchy song are positive and uplifting!
3. “Growl “
Aside from the song itself, the music video for “Growl” also turned out to be a mega hit with both fans and non-fans alike. EXO took on the concept of high school students by wearing school uniforms. It was also in this music video where Chanyeol got the nickname “3 minute 1 second” due to the fact that his close up appeared in the video exactly at the 3 minute and 1 second mark. In addition, Kai really came to the public’s attention for his dancing skills in this MV when his hat fell off, yet he smoothly incorporated it into his dancing without ever missing a beat. Although there is another version of this MV, this one-shot dance video is by far the most popular one and is, perhaps, the most iconic hit of EXO’s career. Although they’ve had massive hits and catchy tunes and dances that still make us all fans today, this song and MV was what first catapulted them into fame! As such, it will always remain a fan favorite!
4. “Ko Ko Bop”
This music video it is significantly more colorful than EXO’s other releases. The colors and props used in the shots complement the concept of the song, which give off a summer vibe. In addition, it still stuck to the concept of EXO’s story line (which involves lengthy theories and plots that have been in the works since their pre-debut days!) while still allowing for a fun, funky, colorful concept that gave EXO a break from their darker MVs.
5. “Monster“
Hello, K-pop icons! We definitely see you in this video. The concept of this video is rough and dark. The colors used throughout the video give a very dark and suspenseful vibe. The story line also captured viewers’ attention, and people still talk about the plot, the dance, the song, and the visuals EXO provided in this MV. With it, EXO proved to the world just how dangerously handsome they are!
6. “Obsession”
All the years of EXO’s lengthy concepts and Exoplanet stories culminate in this MV where we are shown that the EXO we have known since debut is in fact X-EXO. It seems a lot happens in the EXO Universe that we have been unaware of until now! Showing off contrasting images and personalities, this video is iconic for one reason above any other: the duality of EXO which fans have always raved about suddenly makes perfect sense! In this video, we get to see both sides of EXO: a darker, bad boy side and a nice guy, hero type.
7. “Wolf“
The iconic tree of life formation can be seen in this music video from the moment the video starts. The transition from black to white is also very notable, as is the set up of the background. EXO had enjoyed popularity with their own fans before this video as they promoted separately as EXO-K and EXO-M, but this was the first time they properly came together and performed as one EXO. The end result was a huge hit! SMTOWN saw the power the group could have as a single unit and continued to promote together from then on, while still releasing Chinese and Korean versions of their albums.
8. “Love Shot“
While we also love “Tempo” from the same era, “Love Shot” was impressive visually, as well as vocally. In this music video, EXO had different looks from casual jeans and jackets to more mature, sophisticated styles.The overall effect was sexy and powerful. “Love Shot” proved to be another instant hit with fans of all types and had everyone, including other idols, dancing the famous choreography!
Although there are many more iconic EXO videos (“Call Me Baby,” “What Is Love?,” “Overdose,” and so many more!), these are just eight of our favorites! Which one of these do you like the most? What else would you add to the list? Make sure to let us know by tweeting to us @whatthekpop1!
Yumi is an avid fan of Korean culture and a multi-fandom fan of K-pop groups since 2014. Watching Korean dramas has been her hobby ever since!
Media: SMTOWN