We’re finally here! It’s the countdown to the best music video of 2014! Click Here to start from Day 1 (#50-41).

160 music videos later, I have compiled a list of what are, in my humble opinion, the best K-pop music video to come out this year. This takes into account the song, story (if applicable), cinematography/appearance of the video, wardrobe, and dance (if applicable). The effectiveness of each factor in keeping a viewer entertained as well as how well the different factors balance each other out all equally contribute to my ranking of them in this list.

Every day, for the next five days, I will share with you ten music videos, in order, that I feel were put together with the best care, starting with #50 and ending with the #1 best music video of 2014 on New Years Eve.

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for: The Top 10 Music Videos of 2014! According to my scoring system, all of these videos were given a 4.6 or higher out of 5.

This is one of BEAST’s best videos and dances ever. The song is beautiful and the story is really poetic when keeping the lyrics in mind. Doojoon and his girlfriend are like the hands on a clock, in the beginning (12:00), facing the same direction, but slowly becoming more and more disconnected in their relationship until they are facing completely opposite directions when the hands on the clock are the farthest from each other (12:30). While the time is symbolic of how close they are in their relationship, in the video, there are shots of the two of them literally facing the same direction, then sitting at a 90 degree angle, and then finally opposite to each other. The entire concept is so creative and done perfectly.

#9: INFINITE – Last Romeo

Song, story, dance, wardrobe, this video is an example of everything done right. I can’t even pick out one best part of the song because the whole thing is just really solid. The sets are beautiful. The story has the whole Romeo and Juliette feel to it, and that is reflected in both the sets and wardrobe. The video has the fanciness and grandeur of the epic Romeo and Juliette love story. Of course, like any INFINITE comeback, the video is accompanied by an amazing dance.

#8: VIXX – Error

Error shows us VIXX at their best. The video includes a complete story from beginning to end, with depth to all of the main character’s feelings and how his emotions are conflicted in the end with wanting to be together with his cyborg lover but also realizing that both of their deaths are inevitable. Even within the dance itself, we get a story. It begins with the members – or cyborgs – slowly coming to life, dancing with energy and passion, and then unplugging themselves in the end. VIXX consistently puts their all into their concepts, and I love them for it. They abandon the typical “idol” makeup and poses to fully immerse themselves in their characters.

Talk about a story with layer after layer after layer! Someone watching this could see one story, a story within a story, or five different stories. Here is how I see it: Daehyun is inside Angel’s dollhouse, reminiscing about their past love. As he looks through things in the house, he sets off the stories of the other B.A.P members and their relationships with their Angels. It takes incredible cinematography to pull off a story like that without completely losing the audience. Coupled with a great dance and perfect song, this video is a winner.

#6: Seo Tae Ji – Christmalo.win

Seo Tae Ji brought something totally unique to K-pop this year with his Quiet Night album. The song Christmalo.win is in my opinion one of the best songs of the year. It has that creepy feel that is just enough to be entertaining. The video pays tribute to The Nightmare Before Christmas, following a girl from Halloween town to Christmas town in search of her kidnapped mother. The producers really went all out in fully immersing us into what should more accurately be called a short film rather than a music video.

#5: Super Junior – Evanesce

Super Junior surprised even me by giving us a beautiful, passionate, tear-eliciting, and overall perfect music video with Evanesce. This is one of Super Junior’s best songs and music videos. The video involves the various members appearing sad, all of the scenes leading up to a captivating final dance. Everything about that ending dance is just perfect. There is not a whole lot of editing or special effects to that scene, putting all of the focus on the beautiful dance. The location itself, in the center of the circular rooms, is also beautiful in and of itself. It isn’t about being sensual or sexual, but more about passion, delicateness, and a spiritual connection.

#4: Song Ji Eun – Don’t Look At Me Like That

Song Ji Eun proved once again just how unbelievably talented she is. I’m not a fan of SECRET, but Song Ji Eun is giving nothing but the best in her solo promotions. This video portrays Song Ji Eun as a showpiece, and focuses on the paradoxical “love” the public has of her. They have a “love” of her, but it is only a false love. Once it is tested, they abandon her without a second thought. To give the story more depth, even though she should feel hurt in the end, being abandoned actually liberates Song Ji Eun, because she is finally free of them and can escape. This story is also symbolic of how we as fans treat these singers. They are our showpieces, and we say that we love them, however it seems as though once something goes wrong, some fans are so quick to turn away from them.

#3: Jung Joon Young – Teenager

Jung Joon Young’s Teenager album was one of my personal favorite albums of the year. The title song is perfect, especially for him. Jung Joon Young’s voice fits the sound perfectly and has so much bitter passion which is part of what makes this song so good. I can’t believe he produced and composed this himself. The story portrays Jung Joon Young as an old working adult with the heart of a teenage rock star. It is nostalgic and inspiring and very satisfying. In the end, when Jung Joon Young completely throws his heart and soul into his performance, it’s hard not to get caught up in the moment with him.

#2: John Park – U

This video is so different from the average K-pop music video, from the style of the song to the story. It is unique in every good way. The song is amazing and the video gives me goosebumps. While John Park sings about his love for a girl, we see the psychotic person inside him literally stalk this girl, videotape her, break into her room, lie down next to her while she is sleeping, kidnap her, and then finally kill himself. Even down to the wardrobe we get meaning. He dresses like Mr. Perfect on the outside, however, once we see his personality and realize that in reality, he isn’t a romantic guy but a stalker, his perfect appearance suddenly seems taunting.

#1: AKMU – Melted

This is honestly one of the best and most moving music videos I have ever seen, in and outside of K-pop. Every time I watch it, I get something new out of it, a new reason to love it even more. It depicts the story of a kid, simply trying to find a friend, but is again and again victim to the circumstances of the cruel world around him. Even though it has a happy ending, this is an incredibly heartbreaking story. While at the heart of it, it tells the story about a kid who just needs a friend, it also sheds to light tragic truths about our society. In living by the motto “every man for himself” and getting caught up in prejudices, we end up neglecting those who truly need companionship. In this video, we watch the story not only from the kid’s view, but also from the perspectives of the different people he meets. It reflects the fact that even though we may be only focusing on our own hardships, everyone has their own stories and struggles. This is the only video I have ever given a perfect score.

And now we’re done! Thank you everything for reading. I apologize if you’re favorite video didn’t make the list. Again, this list is based off of my own opinions and what I value in K-pop. Except for Seo Tae Ji’s video, I have written about all of the above videos on this blog in the past, so if you’re interested in reading more of my thoughts, look for them in my MV Reviews Archive.

Hooray for B.A.P and VIXX for making it to the Top 10 two years in a row! That is precisely why both of them moved up in my bias lists. They perform outstandingly every time.

For the record, I just watched SONAMOO’s debut music video for Deja Vu, and I am giving it a rating of 4.2/5. I had already put this Top 50 list together before the video came out, but if I were to redo it, Deja Vu would have been ranked #45. As much as I am really not liking TS Entertainment right now, these girls are very talented and that song is super catchy.

I hope everyone has a happy New Year! Be safe! Here’s to much more K-pop (hopefully with less tragedies and lawsuits) in 2015! Happy New Year!