What lies beneath Psy’s “Gangam Style.”

Psy’s ‘Gangam Style’

 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve already heard and seen South Korean rapper Psy’s ‘Gangam Style.’ The humorous video has taken the US and Western pop music by storm.

 

The song was released on July 15, 2012 and has broken a Guinness World Record for “Most Likes on YouTube” with 2,141,758. This means Gangam Style has beaten the likes of LMFAO, Justin Bieber, Adele, Pitbull, Carley Rae Jepsen and even Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday.’ Gangam Style may soon be breaking another Guinness record with 100,000 dislikes as well. As of September 22, the video has been viewed 240 million times making it one of YouTube’s 30 most viewed videos of all time.

For those who are writing off Psy as a one-hit wonder, please note Gangam Style was actually released on the rapper’s sixth studio album, “PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1.” The 34-year-old artist has been a wide known figure in Korean music for more than 12 years and has even served as a talent show judge. The rapper’s real name is Park Jaesang who goes by the stage name Psy which is short for Psycho. Just like many Western artists, Psy is no stranger to controversy. He’s been busted for marijuana and has avoided South Korea’s mandatory military service. The singer, composer, and producer who graduated from Berklee College of Music, also choreographs all of his music videos.

Riding an invisible horse

 

In an eye-opening article about the subversive messages within Psy’s mainstream hit, writer Max Fisher spoke with two regular observers of Korean pop culture to find out more about the rapper’s message. What the Atlantic reporter found were undertones dealing with class and wealth in contemporary South Korean society.

Gangam is a wealthy neighborhood in the Southern Korean city of Seoul, which is home to $84 billion of the country’s wealth and can be viewed as the embodiment of the country’s one percent. In the song, Psy describes the kind of man he is and the kind of girl he’d like to attract. In order to lure in the girl of his dreams, Psy is proclaiming he has ‘Gangam Style.’ The song makes many satirical comments about the status symbol of Gangam and the culture’s obsession with materialism. These covert messages in Gangam Style are widely relatable and resonate with the issues we have in our own backyard.

Whether Gangam Style has reached its saturation point is up for debate, but the fact of the matter is Psy won’t be flying under the radar anytime soon. Psy recently announced a new partnership with Justin Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, under Schoolboy Records. Renown fashion designer, Jill Stuart has even announced a collaboration with Psy to create a Gangam Style inspired line. Pop stars and gang members alike are now emulating Gangam Style.

Roping like a cowboy

 

The floodgates for K-Pop have been opened in Western music thanks to Psy. Keep an eye out for these K-Pop artists who are currently trying to achieve Psy’s mainstream success.

Hyuna’s ‘Bubble Pop’ is an infectious song with fierce choreography and dubstep influences. The song has already made the ‘Best Of’ lists by critics at SPIN and Pitchfork.

 

Critically acclaimed girl band, 2NE1, have already won MTV International awards for “Best New Artist.” The band is fluent in English and have released dual-language singles and are currently touring the US.

 

Finally, here’s a hilarious parody of Gangam Style by the Burnt Orange Tailgating Crew. What are your thoughts on Gangam Style and the K-Pop movement? Are you looking forward to hearing more of these artists on Top 40 radio?

Psy’s Gangam Style