K-Pop: A Tiki Tour Through New Zealand with Music Videos

Living in New Zealand, I’m sure we’ve all caught ourselves daydreaming about life in a big city, complete with endless adventures and a bustling nightlife. Even though we seem so far away from all the trending K-hotspots popping up on social media, our little country has caught the attention of K-pop stars! Did you know there have been several K-pop music videos filmed here in Aotearoa? Taking advantage of our beautiful landscapes and modern cities, these music videos sure do an incredible job of showing it off. 

Taeyeon - I

‘I’ by Taeyeon featuring Verbal Jint is a song about breaking free of things holding you back, finding your own identity, and blossoming into someone that lives unapologetically and freely The music video starts with a shot of the Portland heritage buildings in Kingsland (fun fact: our HIKOCO HQ is very close to here 😯) where we see Taeyeon working as a waitress. These scenes of urban life are juxtaposed with beautiful beaches and rolling green hills, where a freer, more relaxed Taeyeon sings as her hair is jostled by the wind. She walks along farmland paths and beaches, as sheep run up a hill, showing viewers the very distinct imagery that New Zealand is known for.

Mamamoo - Star Wind Flower Sun

‘Star Wind Flower Sun’ by Mamamoo is a romantic ballad about a new love. Without far-fetched visual concepts, this music video invites fans to focus on the powerful vocals, and strong feelings expressed in the song. The music video opens with a VHS-style shot of Mamamoo singing acoustically on a beach. The rest of the video cuts between the members singing at various locations of a farm, and then hanging out around Auckland City. Some locations you may recognise include Victoria Park, 77 Convenience store, and the beautiful Viaduct Harbour.

Starry Night

But that’s not only the Mamamoo single filmed in New Zealand! Apparently, they filmed Star Wind Flower Sun and Starry Night back to back. In Starry Night, you’ll see scenes of West Auckland’s Bethel’s Beach where the members perform their dance choreography. The music video also briefly features downtown Auckland, where the lights of Sky Tower are visible 😍

Oneus - A Song Written Easily

Yet another breakup song, ‘A Song Written Easily’ by Oneus speaks of missing a past love and regretting the loss. Filmed across several locations, the video opens with members roaming urban Wellington, from a red phone box in Post Office Square, to several quays near Wellington Harbor. For more cinematic shots, the video moves onto natural landscapes to showcase the dance choreography near the rocky valley, Putangirua Pinnacles. The storytelling also uses several field and beach locations, and even a cliff scene near Castlepoint Lighthouse. The end of the video returns to the city landscape, demonstrating how the members are drawn back to the reality of their heartbreak.

Don’t these music videos remind you how lucky we are to call New Zealand home? With our city streets and serene beaches, they make for an incredible backdrop for music videos, so much so, that K-pop stars fly all the way here to shoot. If you want to escape the city life, you could even check out the beautiful naturistic landscapes mentioned in this article!