Beyond Bubblegum Pop: PSY and the Gangnam Style
By now, I’m guessing that you’ve heard “Gangnam Style,” the insanely popular song by 34 year old Korean singer Park Jaesang, better known as “PSY” (which is short for psycho). It has topped iTunes charts in 31 countries, in addition to having over 275 million YouTube views. Even if you don’t normally dance, the catchy beat and Korean lyrics interspersed with “eh sexy lady” might just inspire you to at least tap your foot, if not try to copy the bold, unusual dance moves featured in the video. Some have even dubbed PSY the “horse dancer,” in reference to a scene from the video that takes place in a stable.
In an interview with NPR on September 15, 2012, PSY stated that “Gangnam is a territory in Seoul, Korea. I describe it as noble at the daytime and going crazy at the night time. I compare ladies to the territory…and the lyric says I am the right guy for the lady who is like that.” Hearing this, you might assume this song is pure fluff, but it possesses a surprising depth and message behind it. Satire is not typically found in K-pop, a genre which is generally associated with a light, bubblegum feel. However, it is relied on quite heavily in this newly minted hit. This song focuses on the self-important, extremely wealthy people of the Gangnam district, who strive to be “hip” and “trendy.” PSY emphasizes coffee drinking in the song, which is a veiled reference to Gangnam women who will spend incredible amounts of money on coffee while buying cheap food such as Ramen. Throughout the video, he dresses in a manner mirroring a typical Gangnam man, but with a distinctly caricatured streak. Still skeptical? Credit card debit plagues Korean citizens, with the average household carrying credit card debt worth 155 percent of disposable income in 2010.
Yes, this song is outrageous and hilarious. But perhaps one of the reasons for the veritable explosion of this song is its ability to make pretty much everyone who listens to it want to bust out into crazy, spontaneous dance moves while still making a potent social statement. If you haven’t yet, listening to PSY’s “Gangnam Style” today!