Stray Kids with Music Videos, BLACKPINK with Concerts, LE SSERAFIM with Documentaries… Idols Shine Through ‘Visual’ Media

Stray Kids’ (SKZ) new music video for “ChikChikBoom” features Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in their movie character costumes from “Deadpool and Wolverine,” drawing attention. After the members’ dazzling performance, Reynolds humorously proposes joining SKZ, only to be rejected, adding a comedic touch. This music video topped the ‘YouTube Music Video Trending Worldwide’ chart for six days following its release on the 19th and has garnered over 58 million views as of the 30th.

Idol music videos on YouTube are seeing a surge in views, with many achieving hundreds of millions of views. According to Adore, NewJeans’ “Super Shy” music video, released in July last year, reached 100 million views in 90 days and surpassed 200 million views on the 23rd. BTS member Jungkook’s “Seven” music video, featuring actress Han So-hee and crafted like a film, exceeded 400 million views within a year of its release last July.

TWICE’s “What is Love?” music video, the title track from their 5th mini-album released in April 2018, surpassed 800 million cumulative views on YouTube on the 27th. JYP Entertainment noted, “The members transformed into famous movie characters, exuding their unique energy and receiving love from fans both domestically and internationally.”

Beyond music videos, live concert recordings and documentary films are also gaining attention. BLACKPINK’s world tour concert film “BLACKPINK World Tour [Born Pink] in Cinema” will premiere on the 31st at CGV. The film captures their performance held last September at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, commemorating their 8th debut anniversary. This tour attracted 1.8 million attendees across 66 shows in 34 cities worldwide, including North America, Europe, and Asia.

CGV will release the concert film “Seventeen Tour ‘Follow’ Again to Cinema” on the 14th of next month. CJ CGV Communication Team Leader Seo Ji-myung explained, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we screened idol concert films instead of regular movies, which received an unexpectedly positive response. These ‘fandom-oriented’ contents, targeting specific fan groups, not only draw a solid fan base but also generate good revenue.”

Concert films, in particular, create a synergistic effect when linked with events. During the first weekend of BLACKPINK’s film release, CGV will hold special screenings with official cheering sticks and host events on August 8th, their 8th debut anniversary, followed by a Pink Carpet event attended by the members at Yeongdeungpo Times Square on August 9th.

LE SSERAFIM released their documentary “LE SSERAFIM – Make It Look Easy” on YouTube on the 29th, chronicling their journey over the past year. This is the second installment, following their debut documentary in September 2022. It showcases their growth, from preparing for year-end performances, meeting fans, enjoying everyday moments with members, to their first U.S. promotions and solo tour.

OTT service Apple TV+ will premiere “Welcome to K-Pop: Idol Story” globally on the 30th of next month. This six-episode documentary highlights the unprecedented K-pop phenomenon sweeping global music charts and vividly captures the behind-the-scenes stories of idols.

Music videos crafted like films, vibrant concert recordings, and documentaries covering personal stories create significant talking points. Pop music critic Park Sung-seo stated, “Idol group performances are inherently optimized for video content. Adding hidden ‘stories’ or historical ‘histories’ to these videos further enhances their value.” He added, “When stories are included, fans feel more connected to the idols, each attributing personal significance. Ultimately, music videos, concerts, and documentaries contribute to the ‘rooting’ of idols.”