Throwback Thursday: Video Trends from the ‘00s

Barely two months into 2023 and there’s already new content, styles, and comebacks to enjoy. Trends move quickly these days! So, let's take a look at some old but great video trends that have either faded out with time or taken on a new life. 

Dynamic Hairstyles

Colorful, creative, and dynamic hairstyles have remained a defining feature in the “look” of the K-Pop idol, with many being known especially for their drastic hair changes every comeback. However, the common hairstyles from the early 2000s looked a little different. 

Most notable were the unique, gravity-defying looks sported by veteran groups like TVXQ, BIGBANG, and SHINee or the striking cuts worn by Brown Eyed Girls, f(x), or 2NE1 (especially member Dara). These styles shared features common to Japanese Visual Kei, ‘90s R&B, and western Emo and Scene styles with their own unique twists. 

TVXQ’s styling for the TRI-ANGLE album stands out as a strong example for the heavy Visual Kei influences, which also appears in the music itself in the strong gothic rock sound. Maybe this style wasn’t comprehensible at its release, but it's very novel compared to looks today. Take a look at the video in all its glory below. 

The School Uniform

Many groups have taken on powerful, dark, or futuristic concepts (like the Girl Crush concept, for example) or wear designer outfits expertly crafted by stylists in recent years. Despite viral idols NewJeans reviving the look in “Ditto,” the typical school uniform stage costume has seen less and less use as the years pass. Maybe for good reason. 

The uniform is often just a style choice made to fit the group's concept and portray an image of youth. On the other hand, the uniform has been used ironically to make social commentary on the state of the Korean education system. TXT (Tomorrow x Together) in “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away),” and BTS in “N.O.,” linked below, utilize the school uniform and setting to draw out the dark realities modern students face. 

Acrobatic Choreographies

Remember when groups had dance breaks solely dedicated to random flips, jumps, and borderline extreme sports showcases? 

2PM, GOT7, NCT, and a handful of others made creative use of their performances and incorporated flips, jumps, and lifts to take the stage to the next level. 2PM, although not the first or the last to do it, were well-known for their acrobatics. WJSN, Speed, and AFTER SCHOOL, who practiced tirelessly to become skilled in pole dancing for their comeback, are all still referenced when discussing incredible acrobatic feats in choreographies. 

Check out 2PM’s acrobatic moves, and also their B-Boy skills, in the B-Side version of “10 out of 10 (10점 만점에 10점).” 

The Music Video Box

For many K-Pop videos prior to the later 2010s, there was a similar formula followed in the filming of their scenes. This style of direction was described as a “box” for its simple and confined setting, meant to showcase the performance of the song (and possibly lower filming costs?). SM Entertainment is heavily tied to this style of video, but many companies and their groups have used the box as well. 

For a fun and colorful example of the box, we can look at miss A’s “Breathe.” The sets are simplistic yet bright, with playful visual effects employed to emphasize the sharpness of the choreography. Just like the set, the song isn’t complex but is still catchy and addictive. 

Edited by Kelly Sipko