Kpop is known of course for the talent of the idols, but also for the incredible production that comes behind every album, every title, and of course, behind every music video.
While some companies try to cut the production costs of their artists’ music videos, some aren’t afraid to spend a lot of money.
With that, here are six K-pop music videos that had the highest production budget!
ATTENTION: Only confirmed budgets are included
- “JIKJIN” by TREASURE – 417,000 USD / 415,000 EU
Earlier in February 2022, TREASURE released the music video for their song “JIKJIN.” Although the group has only been in the industry for two years, YG Entertainment was not afraid to give a big budget for the song’s music video.
According to reports, “JIKJIN” had a production budget of a whopping 417,000 USD! Much of the budget would have gone into mobilizing the music video’s many supercars.
- 2NE1’s “Come Back Home” – US$470,000 / EU467,873
In 2014, legendary girl group 2NE1 released their song “Come Back Home”. And again, YG Entertainment pulled out all the stops with their budget, with the song’s music video production costing $469,000.
Such a high cost of production is not surprising, given the music video’s futuristic setting, intricate costumes, and number of extras involved.
- “Honey Honey” by Gangkiz – 900,000 USD / 895,927 EU
Disbanded second-generation girl group Gangkiz got creative when they debuted.
For their debut song “Honey Honey,” the group released a seven-part music video. For this reason, the production value of “Honey Honey” would have been around 900,000 USD. The group was signed under Core Contents Media, now known as MBK Entertainment.
- INFINITE’s “Destiny” – $900,000 / EU895,927
INFINITE’s label, Woollim Entertainment, allocated a big budget to produce the group’s music video for “Destiny”. The song’s music video was reportedly shot at Universal Studios and in Los Angeles, United States.
In fact, only Lady Gaga and Chris Brown were previously allowed to film at Universal Studios during this time. So it’s no wonder the band and their label spent $900,000 on the music video.
- BAP’s “One Shot” – $950,000 / EU945,700
BAP showcased his acting skills in the nearly seven-minute music video for “One Shot” against a budget of around $900,000, which can go up to $950,000.
With the music video’s storyline, as well as its intense action scenes, “One Shot” felt more like a short film than a music video!
- T-ARA’s “Cry Cry” – $1,000,000 / EU995,474
T-ARA’s “Cry Cry” has one of the most expensive music videos in the K-pop industry. The group created a short drama in two parts, the second being “Lovey Dovey”.
The lengthy music video tells a story of intense revenge and family love, with a production cost of $1,000,000!
BONUS: BLACKPINK’s “Pink Venom”
While the exact budget for BLACKPINK’s latest music video “Pink Venom” remains unknown, reports indicate that the music video has the highest production budget spent by YG Entertainment. Given that 2NE1’s “Come Back Home” costs around $469,000, the production cost of “Pink Venom” could well exceed $500,000.
Were you surprised at the cost of these clips?