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| "'''Gangnam Style'''" is a 2012 ] ] by the South Korean rapper ]. |
"'''Gangnam Style'''" is a 2012 ] ] by the South Korean rapper ]. "Gangnam Style" is widely praised for its humour, catchy rhythm as well as Psy's unusual dance moves that have introduced many people to K-pop. First released on July 15, 2012, it entered the ] singles chart at number one upon release, and it has the most views as a K-pop song on YouTube. <ref name="Gaon">{{cite web |url=http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/total/list.gaon?nationGbn=T |title=:: 가온차트와 함께하세요 :: |author= |date= |work= |publisher=] |accessdate=10 August 2012}}</ref> | ||
| == Background == | == Background == | ||
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| About a month after its initial release, on August 17, 2012, Gangnam Style officially won first-place in the Korean music television programme '']''<ref>{{cite news |title=Psy ranks first place on Music Bank with "Gangnam Style" |author= |url=http://en.korea.com/blog/enter/tv/psy-ranks-first-place-on-music-bank-with-gangnam-style/ |publisher=korea.com |date=17 August 2012 |accessdate=17 August 2012}}</ref> on ], scoring a total of 18,601 points. | About a month after its initial release, on August 17, 2012, Gangnam Style officially won first-place in the Korean music television programme '']''<ref>{{cite news |title=Psy ranks first place on Music Bank with "Gangnam Style" |author= |url=http://en.korea.com/blog/enter/tv/psy-ranks-first-place-on-music-bank-with-gangnam-style/ |publisher=korea.com |date=17 August 2012 |accessdate=17 August 2012}}</ref> on ], scoring a total of 18,601 points. | ||
| ===Release=== | |||
| When "Gangnam Style" was first released on July 15, 2012, it was known only to fans of ], and in particular those of Psy's record label the ] management agency ]. However, K-Pop fans started to share it on social networks like ] and ] and it was not long before internet users outside the K-Pop community began to notice it. Soon, even celebrities in and outside the ] tweeted about "Gangnam Style", which triggered a ]. Towards the end of July, it became a worldwide hit when the international media began to take notice of it. On the 4th of August, ] wrote that "Gangnam Style" is "unstoppable" and it is "taking over the world".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-psy-gangnam-style-20120803,0,6842309.story |title=Giddy up! S. Korean rapper Psy's 'Gangnam Style' is unstoppable - latimes.com |first=Deborah |last=Netburn |work=] |date=2012 |publisher=] |location=] |issn=0458-3035 |accessdate=31 August 2012}}</ref> During the last week of August, ] reported that Psy has jumped up by 8 spots on the weekly ], beating ] to take the number one position. This is a feat that has so far only been achieved by 9 other artists including ], ] and ] . <ref>{{cite web|title='Gangnam Style' Helps Psy Dance Way to No. 1 on Social 50 Chart Read more at http://www.billboard.com/news/gangnam-style-helps-psy-dance-way-to-no-1007917752.story#RPiGaKjAuySIDlBk.99|url=http://www.billboard.com/news/gangnam-style-helps-psy-dance-way-to-no-1007917752.story#/news/gangnam-style-helps-psy-dance-way-to-no-1007917752.story|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=31 August 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ===Reception=== | |||
| ====Recognition by international media outlets==== | |||
| Although K-Pop has been getting increasingly popular over the past few years due to the ], it is still fairly uncommon for K-Pop songs to be featured in foreign broadcasting networks and newspapers. However, "Gangnam Style" has managed to catch the attention of international media outlets such as the ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/08/gangnam-style-viral-sensation-spawns-parodies-potential-bieber-collab.html |title='Gangnam Style' viral sensation spawns parodies , potential Bieber collab |author:Lauren O'Neil |date=16 August 2012 |work= |publisher=] |accessdate=20 August 2012}}</ref> and CNN, the latter of which describes it as "very different and comedic." Other broadcasting networks, popular magazines and newspapers which have reported on "Gangnam Style" include ]<ref>http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-psy-dodgers-stadium-gangnam-style-20120821,0,5801107.story</ref>, ]<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/gangnam-style-becomes-opp_n_1783292.html</ref>, ], ], ]<ref>http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/rapper-psys-swagger-thrills-fans-at-dodger-stadium/story-fnd134gw-1226455834157</ref>, ]<ref>http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/gangnam-style-dissected-the-subversive-message-within-south-koreas-music-video-sensation/261462/</ref>, ]<ref name="bostonglobe">http://bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2012/08/26/viral-clip-gives-korea-psy-pop-culture-moment/g5S134YOUZSfAVBIwyS1OO/story.html</ref>, ] <ref name="vancouverobserver">http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/thescene/bizarre-gangnam-style-k-pop-music-video-blows-worldwide</ref>, ]<ref name="blogs">http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2012/08/22/5-must-see-gangnam-style-response-videos/</ref>, ]<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Music/south-korean-rapper-psys-gangnam-style-viral/story?id=16996559#.UDkmhqDAFkQ</ref>, ]<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/video/korean-rappers-gangnam-style-is-viral-hit/1801136210001</ref>, the ] <ref>http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1314779-mlb-playoffs-get-k-pop-treatment-with-bizarre-and-hilarious-gangnam-style</ref>, ]<ref>http://www.cnbc.com/id/48643558</ref>, ]<ref name="bloomberg">http://www.bloomberg.com/video/rapper-psy-s-video-gangnam-style-goes-viral-sGjRjhIBTESI7D8IJpusww.html</ref>, ] <ref>{{cite news|title=Oregon talks about 'Gangnam Style' parody|url=http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/sounds/post/_/id/2979/oregon-talks-about-gangnam-style-parody|accessdate=31 August 2012|newspaper=]}}</ref>, ]<ref>http://www.lepoint.fr/culture/le-chanteur-pop-sud-coreen-psy-fait-un-buzz-mondial-avec-son-nouveau-clip-06-08-2012-1493315_3.php</ref>, ]<ref>{{cite news|title=Les internautes fous de Psy|url=http://next.liberation.fr/musique/2012/08/07/les-internautes-fous-de-psy_838252|accessdate=31 August 2012|newspaper=Libération}}</ref> ]<ref>http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/vu-sur-le-web/20120823.OBS0294/connaissez-vous-le-gangnam-style.html</ref>, ] <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19244161</ref>, ]<ref name="vh1">http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/828062/psy-recreates-his-gangnam-style-video-with-carrie-and-jason.jhtml</ref>, ]<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7n7talfEEU</ref>, and the ]<ref>http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/ID/726922/Uncool-South-Korean-pop-star.aspx</ref> | |||
| The German weekly news magazine '']'' attributes the growing popularity of "Gangnam Style" to its daring dance moves, and describes how Psy hops and waves wildly with his arms while brandishing an imaginary lasso and riding on an imaginary horse.<ref>http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/leute/dank-katy-perry-us-erfolg-fuer-koreanischen-saenger-psy-a-851915.html</ref> | |||
| The ] uploaded an interview from ] with Psy on its website with the headline "Rapper from South Korea scores an Internet hit". It added that although Psy is not well known outside ], his "very colourful" video is currently "winning fans everywhere".<ref>http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/uncooler-pop-star-aus-suedkorea-landet-internet-hit-1.1440470</ref> Another German newspaper ] wrote "if you're looking for a big Disco hit this summer, you'll probably find it in this video". It acknowledged that Psy has only achieved mediocre success and he does not conform to the "Boyband-Ideal" of South Korea but nonetheless is on the verge of becoming the "next big internet hype."<ref>http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspiegel/video-schraeger-youtube-sommerhit-aus-suedkorea/6996020.html</ref> | |||
| According to The Washington Post, "Gangnam Style" has made an extraordinarily "stupid-looking" dance move suddenly cool<ref name="washingtonpost">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/gangnam-styles-invisible-horse-dance-crazegiddyup/2012/08/23/0dec6ace-ed29-11e1-b09d-07d971dee30a_blog.html</ref> and Psy is currently having a "pop culture moment". Psy's dances moves are "somewhat bizarre" but the music video is full of "colorful, lively outfits". It also remarked that Psy's "colorful" style is being celebrated in the United States, and around the world.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/korean-rapper-psy-is-having-a-pop-culture-moment-with-viral-music-video-for-gangnam-style/2012/08/23/f2e17402-ed48-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html</ref> | |||
| Matt Miller, a host from the business and financial news broadcaster '']'', told the audience to just "Let me show you a clip that I have been wanting to show you for weeks" but because it would be inappropriate to play "Gangnam Style" during a financial news programme, he has been trying to "figure out some connection" between "Gangnam Style" and ] and the economy. Failing to find any, he decides to show the video anyway because "I don't really care and its just a super hot video that has gone astronomically viral." He also tells the audience that he has been dancing to "Gangnam Style" a lot at home and jokes that he (Psy) did say on CNN that he wants to make people laugh even in the midst of all these global economic slowdowns, "so that's the Wall Street tie-in!"<ref name="bloomberg" /> | |||
| ] notes that while "Gangnam Style" has garnered millions of views on ] and many of these views were made by repeat viewers, this is nothing suprising because "it’s hard not to watch again …and again …and again. In fact, here it is one more time. We can’t help ourselves."<ref>http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/08/22/watch-psy-gangnam-style-dodger-stadium/</ref> | |||
| CNN reporter ] even went as far as to reveal that she has watched it "about 15 times"<ref name="TA" /><ref>http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c2#/video/world/2012/08/02/wr-gangnam-style-goes-viral-in-rap-video.cnn</ref> | |||
| ===Video performance on YouTube=== | |||
| Another indicator of the song's immense growing popularity is its performance on the video sharing platform YouTube. The Los Angeles Times calls it ''one of the greatest videos ever to be uploaded to YouTube.'' <ref>http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-gangnam-style-live-20120828,0,7706831.story</ref> | |||
| Uploaded on July 15, 2012, "Gangnam Style" has been viewed over 99 million times and overtook ] ] to reach the number one position on the YouTube Top 100 Music Videos during the week of August 28, 2012.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0&pxtry=1</ref><ref name="Fekadu2012" /> On the 1st of September, it overtook ] ] to become the most viewed ] video on Youtube. About 47% of the views came from the United States, 7% from the ], 6.8% from ] and 4% from South Korea.<ref name="The Korea Herald/Asia News Network">{{cite news |title=K-pop's SNS explosion |author=Kim Yoon-mi |url=http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20120825-367527.html |date= |accessdate=30 August 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ===Praise and criticism=== | |||
| Although "Gangnam Style" has been met with overwhelmingly positive reactions, some have found it wacky or even vulgar.<ref name="channelnewsasia">http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1220085/1/.html</ref> ] called it a "social satire" dissecting the extravagances of a society drowning in debt and writes that "Gangnam Style" makes no sense at all to most Western eyes and it makes you wonder if you have "accidentally taken someone else's medication".<ref>http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-diary/hit-video-may-have-a-subversive-message-20120827-24wkd.html</ref> | |||
| The German national daily newspaper ] labelled Psy's dances moves as eccentric but also colourful.<ref name="welt" /> Perhaps due to the fact that K-pop songs rarely, if at all, feature in the international media, certain European commentators were somewhat skeptical about "Gangnam Style", some even seeing a resemblance between Psy and ], the former leader of North Korea. For example, the ] published a short article with the headline "Dancing like Kim Jong-Il" which compares Psy with North Korea's deceased dictator Kim Jong-Il and mentions about Psy's "eccentric" dancing style" that has generated parodies worldwide.<ref name="berliner-zeitung">http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/panorama/youtube-hit-psy-tanzen-wie-kim-jong-il,10808334,16824324.html</ref> | |||
| The weekly news magazine ] also uploaded a video onto its website with the title "Scurrilous Internet-Hit: A rapper rides to success", and describes how Psy "looks like Kim Jong-Il" and moves like a horseman. He has conquered the charts with his "bizarre" dance moves.<ref>http://www.stern.de/kultur/musik/skurriler-internethit-ein-rapper-reitet-zum-erfolg-1873178.html</ref> ] was more upfront with its opinion about "Gangnam Style", writing that "Dumm getanzt ist halb gewonnen (Dancing stupidly wins you half the race)", but also adds that the Internet community is fascinated by the so-called horse dance.<ref>http://www.derbund.ch/panorama/vermischtes/Der-Pferdesong/story/22544023</ref> The Swiss tabloid ] calls "Gangnam Style" a worldwide hit in an article published under the headline "Rapper Psy's horse dance is rattenscharf (very cool)". It then goes on to proclaim that "], ] and ] belongs to yesterday because now comes the horse dance."<ref>http://www.20min.ch/entertainment/musik/story/Rapper-Psys-Pferdetanz-ist-rattenscharf-23973488</ref> | |||
| The American news site ] asks: "What exactly is Gangnam Style?" and answers that it is apparently a lot "more than just a silly music video" and that "Gangnam Style" is a "dance craze with a meaning"<ref name="globalpost">http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/weird-wide-web/gangnam-style-decoded-dance-craze-meaning</ref> | |||
| Thailand's English-language newspaper '']'' wrote that the song brought "a Psy of relief".<ref name="nationmultimedia">http://www.nationmultimedia.com/life/Gangnam-brings-a-Psy-of-relief-30189061.html</ref> | |||
| ==Impact== | |||
| ===Influence on other celebrities=== | |||
| One important factor that has led to "Gangnam Style" being so well known is its popularity among many notable celebrities, this has caused it to receive attention from numerous fans in and outside the United States. When "Gangnam Style" was first released, it was only known to fans of K-Pop, and in particular those of Psy's record label the South Korean management agency ]. However, K-Pop fans started to share it on social networks like ] and ] and it was not long before internet users outside the K-Pop community began to notice it. Soon, even celebrities in and outside the United States started mentioning about "Gangnam Style" on Twitter and elsewhere, which led to a snowball effect further increasing ''Gangnam Style's'' already growing popularity. | |||
| For example, on August 16, 2012, ] performed the song in her concert in the ] in ], ], ].<ref name="MB">{{cite news |title=Nelly Furtado Performs Psy's 'Gangnam Style' In Manila Concert |author=Jonathan M. Hicap |url=http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/370419/nelly-furtado-performs-psys-gangnam-style-manila-concert |publisher=] |date=21 August 2012 |accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref> | |||
| During the late night comedy talk show ], the American stand-up comedian and actress ] tells the audience that she is assembling a task force to expand the search for the lucky man to marry. She excludes the Russians and the natives of ] from her search, and calls Psy a "surprising person that has pricked my interest", as well as a "revolutionary musician, dancer and sex symbol". She also compares Psy with the latino pop singer ], before revealing that she had discovered "Gangnam Style" "only after 43 million people have watched this video on Youtube." Shortly after, she exclaims "Oppa Gangnam Style!" and the programme ends with the "Gangnam Style" dance performed by 6 backstage dancers. | |||
| Other notable artists such as the British singer ], actor ] as well as ] have also mentioned about the music video on ].<ref name="CNN-Video">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2012/08/02/wr-gangnam-style-goes-viral-in-rap-video.cnn |title=Rapper living 'Gangnam style' goes viral |author= |date=2 August 2012 |work= |publisher=] |accessdate=20 August 2012}}</ref> While Rapper ] praised “Gangnam Style” because "Words cannot even describe how amazing this video is."<ref name="TA">{{cite news |title=Gangnam Style, Dissected: The Subversive Message Within South Korea's Music Video Sensation |author=Max Fisher |url=http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/gangnam-style-dissected-the-subversive-message-within-south-koreas-music-video-sensation/261462/ |publisher=] |date=23 August 2012 |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref>, ] indicated her interest in "Gangnam Style"'s choreography. She tweeted "I am LOVING this video – so fun! Thinking that I should possibly learn the choreography. Anybody wanna teach me?”<ref>http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/08/29/2012082900891.html</ref> | |||
| After the release of "Gangnam Style", the American talent manager ], who discovered ] on Youtube, asked on Twitter "How did I not sign this guy (Psy)".<ref>http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20120825-367527.html</ref> Soon afterwards, it was reported that Psy had left for Los Angeles to meet with representatives of Justin Bieber, to explore collaboration opportunities.<ref name="channelnewsasia" /><ref name="Fekadu2012" /> | |||
| ===Obsession=== | |||
| Just like all other ] videos and ], it did not take long for "Gangnam Style" to become so popular that many became obsessed with it. In an article under the headline "Psy's 'Gangnam Style: ] Viral Comeback Is Impossible To Resist", The Huffington Post quotes from "Gangnam Style"'s official Youtube video description that the song is characterized by its "strongly addictive beats" and writes that this is not too far-fetched, considering "how obsessed we’ve found ourselves."<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/south-korean-hip-hop-sens_n_1728420.html</ref> During ] ''Big Morning Buzz Live'' show, the televion host ] says that everyone in our office is "''completely obsessed''" with "Gangnam Style". <ref name="vh1" /><ref name="youtube_a">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6Y_gfyeFLA&list=PLEC422D53B7588DC7&index=3&feature=plcp</ref> | |||
| The American actress and singer ] also posted the "Gangnam Style" video on her official website and wrote "''I am so amazingly obsessed. GANGNAM STYLE!''" <ref>http://vanessahudgensofficial.com/blog/psy-gangnam-style/</ref> and the singer and songwriter ] even asked for help when she wrote on Twitter: "''Help, I'm in a Gangnam-style K-hole.''"<ref name="YH">{{cite news |title="Gangnam Style," 9 things you need to know about music's latest phenomenon |author=Grace Stanisci |url=http://ca.music.yahoo.com/blogs/sound-check/gangnam-style-9-things-know-music-latest-phenomenon-150309582.html |publisher=''ca.music.yahoo.com'' |date=24 August 2012 |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref> | |||
| The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation writes that millions around the globe have become "''obsessed''" with Psy's dance moves<ref name="cbc" /> and USA Today says "''make sure everyone you love has seen this.''" <ref>{{cite news|title=Oregon Duck 'Gangnam Style' video parody is perfect|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/08/oregon-ducks-gangnam-style-video-parody/1#.UEBI2yLAFkQ|accessdate=31 August 2012|newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> | |||
| ===Parodies, reaction videos, and other related videos=== | |||
| The rapidly growing popularity and international recognition of the previously little known South Korean rapper Psy's big hit "Gangnam Style" has also spawned a lot of other ] videos related to it. They include various ] and ], some of the more popular ones have received millions of views, such as: | |||
| *''] - Gangnam Style Parody''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDpgzn7KuzE&feature=player_embedded</ref>, featured in ]<ref>{{cite news|title=Oregon Duck 'Gangnam Style' video parody is perfect|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/08/oregon-ducks-gangnam-style-video-parody/1#.UEBI2yLAFkQ|newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> | |||
| *''Gangnam Style Ultimate Mashup (Parodies, Covers and Remixes)''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMFJoRyj3Fg&feature=player_embedded</ref>, featured in The Huffington Post<ref name="hf">{{cite news |title=The Ultimate 'Gangnam Style' Mashup (VIDEO) |author=Shira Lazar |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shira-lazar/the-ultimate-gangnam-styl_b_1840213.html |publisher=] |date=19 August 2012 |accessdate=29 August 2012}}</ref> | |||
| * ''Teens react to Gangnam Style''<ref name="youtube">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFmxgzPP3Q</ref> by the ] ] <ref name="youtube" /> | |||
| * ''Hongdae Style''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmIlbyLIcKg</ref>, a parody of "Gangnam Style" by ''Trend Factory''. It was featured in ] as among the ''top 5 Must-See Gangnam Style Response Videos''<ref name="blogs" /> | |||
| * ''Pyongyang Style''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYBCgV6a5kE</ref>, a parody that "mocks North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il",<ref name="upi">http://www.upi.com/blog/2012/08/21/Gangnam-Style-South-Korean-rapper-PSY-shows-off-K-pop-swagger/2641345559079/</ref> according to the American news agency ] | |||
| * ''PSY Gangnam Style MV Reaction''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odOusOPkEGQ</ref> by ''Katie and Mindy Anderson''. ] writes that "''The Andersons’ reaction video is fun because of their spontaneity, laughter and creeping realization of what’s going on.''"<ref name="blogs_a">http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2012/08/06/reaction-vids-get-a-pop-with-gangnam-style/</ref> | |||
| * ''GANGNAM STYLE ''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTqU7tAu2U8</ref> appeared in the Abu Dhabi newspaper ], that speculates if there will be "''a ] Gangnam Style'' soon?''"<ref name="thenational">http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/music/south-korean-meme-gangnam-style-gets-59-million-hits-on-youtube</ref> | |||
| * ''PSY - VH1 Morning Buzz Live with Carrie and Jason''<ref name="vh1" /><ref name="youtube_a" />, in this video, ''Psy'' appears on the American cable television network ] and teaches the television hosts ] and ] how to dance "Gangnam Style" during the ''Big Morning Buzz Live'' show. | |||
| *Idol group ] also showed their extreme interests in ] "Gangnam Style" (especially lead vocalist ]) with the members dancing to the "horse-riding choreography" repeatedly on episode 24 of their own ] "SHINHWA Broadcast", which was aired by ].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSHrJpuq3qQ</ref> | |||
| *''] Gangnam Style 강남스타일 on ]''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBWPkLCiSrM&feature=player_embedded</ref><ref>http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/romney-rnc-entrance-83112/1415348</ref>, featured in ]<ref>{{cite news|title=Mitt Romney Gangnam Style 강남스타일 on Jay Leno|url=http://www.firstpost.com/topic/person/mitt-romney-mitt-romney-gangnam-style-on-jay-leno-video-UBWPkLCiSrM-4280-1.html|accessdate=2 September 2012|newspaper=The First Post}}</ref> and shown on ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Romney RNC Entrance (8/31/12) More »|url=http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/romney-rnc-entrance-83112/1415348|publisher=NBC|accessdate=2 September 2012}}</ref> It shows the American comedian ] using the "Gangnam Style" dance to do a parody of US presidential candidate ]. | |||
| * ''Police style'' <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiEjvxliB_Q</ref> by ''DJ Synapse''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/user/redfelitz?feature=watch</ref> | |||
| * ''Catholic Church Style''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhWLGf9p6Fc&feature=player_embedded</ref> by ''ucankorea''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/user/ucankorea?feature=watch</ref> | |||
| * ''Church Style''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ1l0iRiue0&feature=player_embedded</ref> by ''kalmaschool''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/user/kalmaschool?feature=watch</ref> was filmed to promote church retreat | |||
| * "Singaporean Style"<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqLy27OSd4</ref> by Singaporean youtuber Dee Kosh. | |||
| * "Gangnam Style (Cumbia Remix) "<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzyL58PaCoo</ref> by Cumbia Drive. | |||
| ===Comparisons between Psy and other famous personalities=== | |||
| With a pair of sunglasses, an eye-catching outfit, and a ] hairstyle that reminds one of ]'s hair which sweeps upwards from the face and high over the forehead, Psy has often been compared in "Gangnam Style" with other over-the-top personalities such as the former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il<ref name="berliner-zeitung" /> as well as the American electropop duo ]<ref>http://www.billboard.com/news/fall-in-love-with-psy-s-gangnam-style-korean-1007710752.story#/news/fall-in-love-with-psy-s-gangnam-style-korean-1007710752.story</ref> | |||
| The American news website ] called Psy the ''love child of ] and ]'' and that he ''looks something like Mr. Chow from "The Hangover.''<ref>http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/hollyworld/psy-gangnam-style-translation-oppan</ref>, referring to the American comedian ] who plays the flamboyant Chinese gangster ''Mr. Chow'' in the 2009 award-winning comedy film ]. The American stand-up comedian and actress Chelsea Handler also compares Psy with the Latino pop singer ]. | |||
| While many commentators saw similarities between Psy himself and other famous personalities, others drew comparisons between the music of "Gangnam Style" with the music of other artists. ] writes that "Gangnam Style" has ''multiple influences'' including "''LMFAO’s ] shuffle (which, in turn, comes from the ])''”<ref name="washingtonpost" />, while the Los Angelos Times writes that this "''ridiculously infectious''" song is "''so over-the-top as to make LMFAO sound like ]''" | |||
| Critics have speculated that Western audiences' familiarity with Gangnam Style's European ] beats has helped make the song accessible, while Psy's weaving of traditional Korean melodies and lyrical cadence have made the song unlike anything they've heard before.<ref name="globalpost" /> According to Psy himself, his musical influences are "mainly rappers, like Eminem, 2 Pac, Jay-Z, and Dr. Dre." <ref name="bostonglobe" /> During an interview with ], Psy hinted that he never expected such a worldwide interest in his music and that "Gangnam Style" was "never targeted (at) foreign countries. It was (just) for local fans" and that his only goal in "Gangnam Style" "was to look uncool until the end."<ref name="ibnlive">http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gangnam-style-uncool-korean-star-psy-goes-viral/285865-45-75.html</ref> | |||
| Although the international success of Gangnam Style came as a surprise Psy himself attributes the appeal to universal factors of humor and performance, "I think foreigners think I'm funny. The way Korean people think Austin Powers and Mr. Bean are funny. There's no language barrier. I'm crazy about music. Crazy about the stage. Crazy about performing and crazy about my fans."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0vy-zilON8k#! |title= Korean rapper takes 'horse dance' viral}}</ref> | |||
| ===Presence of Gangnam Style elsewhere=== | |||
| ====Dodger Stadium==== | |||
| On August 20, 2012, Psy tweeted "Bringing #GANGNAM STYLE to the @Dodgers - Giants game this evening". That evening, he was spotted with his dance moves from "Gangnam Style" at the ] in front of 43,000 jubilant baseball fans during a game against the ]. | |||
| On August 22, the ] posted a video on its official homepage titled "PSY Dance Cam". Throughout the one and a half minute video clip, many of the LA Dodgers' fans were seen dancing to the beats of "Gangnam Style". At around the one minute mark, the camera zoomed in on Psy, who stood up and did his horse riding dance moves before clapping his hands to acknowledge the crowd's enthusiastic cheers.<ref>http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24132309&topic_id&c_id=la&v=3&tcid=fb_video_24132309</ref> | |||
| ====Political campaigns==== | |||
| The British tabloid newspaper ] reported that Psy's moves have become so popular, "even presidential candidates are copying them".<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2188393/Gangnm-Style-The-chubby-Korean-rapper-whos-bigger-global-hit-Bieber.html</ref>. ] also mentions that a few of South Korea's normally staid presidential candidates are "imitating Psy's moves in an appeal to voters".<ref>http://www.canberratimes.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/uncool-korean-star-goes-viral-with-rapping-dance-20120814-245fy.html</ref> | |||
| ====Flash mobs==== | |||
| A "Gangnam Style" ] event, sponsored by the South Korean broadcasting and entertainment company ], was held in ]<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmmDO_v9izE</ref> and the ] has reported about the presence of "Gangnam Style" flash mobs in ]. <ref>{{cite news|title=A Prince in Vegas and Gangnam Style|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/commonknowledge/cke-sept-2/4236674|accessdate=3 September 2012|newspaper=ABC Online}}</ref> | |||
| ====Television==== | |||
| During ], the American stand-up comedian ] danced to "Gangnam Style" during a parody of US presidential candidate ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Romney RNC Entrance (8/31/12) More »|url=http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/romney-rnc-entrance-83112/1415348|publisher=NBC|accessdate=2 September 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ==Factors that have led to Gangnam Style's widespread popularity== | |||
| ===The role of social media=== | |||
| In an interview with Reuters, Psy told reporters that the popularity of "Gangnam Style" was not due to any promotions or advertising because "I didn’t try anything. I didn’t promote." Rather, he attributes the rapid spread of "Gangnam Style" to social networking sites like Youtube and Twitter, and says that it "just happened like this with YouTube and Twitter. I think those two feed me." <ref name="ibnlive" /> | |||
| Also, the fact that its music video features a few extremely successful K-pop stars, who have supportive fans worldwide, helped it to initially gain attention. | |||
| ===Being different from "the pretty boy image"=== | |||
| According to the Indian television news channel ], South Korea is "a nation famed for the pretty-boy but often bland bands of K-Pop".<ref name="ibnlive" /> As a "chubby musician", the "Uncool Korean star Psy" is more widely known for specializing "in high-energy and outrageous performances."<ref name="ibnlive" /> | |||
| Katie and Mindy Anderson, two American fans who uploaded the "PSY Gangnam Style MV Reaction", told '']'' reporter Evan Ramstad that "Psy is a very likable person because he’s not the perfect pretty boy image" and that "we need more humor in K-pop and I’m so glad Psy is around to bring it on." <ref name="blogs_a" /> | |||
| ] writes that Psy "doesn't fit the standard K-pop idol image of being incredibly young, good-looking"<ref name="vancouverobserver" /> and ] called Psy a "chubby, rapping singer finds fame and popularity in a sea of pretty K-pop stars". <ref>http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/uncool-korean-star-goes-viral-with-rapping-dance-20120814-245fy.html</ref> | |||
| ===Humour combined with a funky beat and an unusual choreography=== | |||
| Hinting at the fact that ] from the ] sometimes contain a fair amount of expletives and aggression, ] compares "Gangnam Style" with the ] and praises "Gangnam Style" for being "legitimately funny in an international field which often translates hip-hop dreadfully seriously (see: Europe)" and calls Psy a "groundbreaking satirist by Korean standards".<ref>http://seattletimes.com/html/matsononmusic/2018975926_gangnam_style_what_does_it_mea.html</ref> | |||
| The ] tabloid comments that all Psy did was wear a "crazy" outfit and do a "funny dance" to become a YouTube star<ref name="bild">http://www.bild.de/unterhaltung/musik/youtube/verruecktester-song-des-sommers-25512728.bild.html</ref> and '']'' describes how the "The Psy syndrome" is intoxicating music fans with its "funky beat and comical dance moves".<ref>http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2012/08/135_118216.html</ref> | |||
| In an interview with South Korea's ], Psy says that his motto is to "be funny but not stupid".<ref>http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/n_feature/2012/08/24/27/4901000000AEN20120824007900315F.HTML</ref> | |||
| ==Usage as a catchphrase== | |||
| "Gangnam Style"'s growing popularity has also led to its increasingly widespread usage as a common ]. The American tabloid ] uses the phrase "Gangnam Style" to describe the opening of the latest U.S. branch of Cocohodo, a boutique bakery that specializes in walnut pastries,<ref name="blogs.laweekly">http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2012/08/cocohodo_koreatown_hodo_kwaja.php</ref> by publishing an article with the title "Cocohodo Opens in Koreatown: Hodo Kwaja, or Walnut Pastries, 'Gangnam Style!'"<ref name="blogs.laweekly" /> | |||
| The ], an English-language newspaper based in ], writes that you can reenact the local comedy show ] by turning it into a semi-musical and throwing in "a dash of Gangnam Style."<ref>http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/archive/sunday/lifestyle/entertainmentmusic/daze-our-lives-re-run-20120824</ref> | |||
| Towards the end of the comedy talk show Chelsea Lately, the American stand-up comedian and actress Chelsea Handler exclaims to the audience "Oppa Gangnam Style!" and then presents the "Gangnam Style" dance performed by a group of backstage dancers.<ref name="tvpot.daum">http://tvpot.daum.net/clip/ClipView.do?clipid=44170892</ref> After watching "Gangnam Style", the singer and songwriter ] also mentioned the phrase by tweeting "Help, I'm in a Gangnam Style K-hole".<ref name="nationmultimedia" /> | |||
| ===Derivatives of "Oppan Gangnam Style"=== | |||
| In an interview with Reuters, Psy told reporters that the song "was for local fans" and that it never targeted foreign countries.<ref>http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/lifestyle/story/uncool-korean-star-goes-viral-rapping-dance</ref> As a result, when Psy first introduced the phrase "Oppan Gangnam Style!" to the internet community most non-Korean internet users did not understand what he was saying. | |||
| In particular, many users from the ] simply took it that Psy was perhaps rapping about something in English that they could not understand. In fact, the American news agency ] wrote that the phrase "Oppan Gangnam Style" was misheard as "Open Condom Store".<ref name="upi" />, especially after a bewildered teen mentioned it during the video ''Teens react to Gangnam Style'' by the ] ]<ref name="upi" /> | |||
| Elsewhere, the English-language daily newspaper ], based in the ], writes that "he (Psy) repeatedly says "happy birthday" in Arabic".<ref name="thenational" /> | |||
| == Chart performance == | == Chart performance == | ||
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| "Gangnam Style" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Gangnam Style" is a 2012 K-rap single by the South Korean rapper Psy. "Gangnam Style" is widely praised for its humour, catchy rhythm as well as Psy's unusual dance moves that have introduced many people to K-pop. First released on July 15, 2012, it entered the Gaon Chart singles chart at number one upon release, and it has the most views as a K-pop song on YouTube.
Background
"Gangnam Style" is a Korean language colloquialism that refers to a luxurious lifestyle associated with the Gangnam district, an affluent and trendy area of Seoul. The music video depicts Psy dancing at various locations in Gangnam. The song is about "the perfect girlfriend who knows when to be refined and when to get wild."
A literal translation of "오빤 강남 스타일 (Oppan Gangnam style)" is "Your big brother is Gangnam Style". The Korean word 오빠 (oppa) means "a female's elder brother" but can be also used as a first-, second- or third-person masculine pronoun to designate a male who is elder or older than a female. Based on more recent cultural norms, the term has typically been used to refer to a boyfriend or male spouse. It is used as a first-person pronoun in this phrase. 오빤 (oppan) is an abbreviation of 오빠는 (oppaneun). 는 is a topic marker, which in this case means the implied subject of the sentence is the singer (오빠). The verb "to be" is omitted, as is often the case in such short Korean sentences. Thus the literal translation of "Oppan Gangnam style" is "Your big brother Gangnam Style".
The lyrics are by Psy, music by Psy and Yoo Gun-hyung, and it was arranged by Yoo Gun-hyung, who is a well-known producer in South Korea and also collaborated with Psy in the past.
Music video
The music video shows PSY dancing a comical horse-riding dance and appearing in unexpected locations such as an outdoor yoga session and hot tub. The "skewering the Gangnam image" by the "non-Gangnam PSY" is recognizable to Korean viewers, but those less familiar with the cultural context have found the video "fresh" amidst the teen pop idol groups increasingly popular with overseas viewers.
Making appearances in the music video are:
- 4minute member Hyuna playing PSY's love interest and appearing in the two final dance sequences
- Comedian/television personality, Korea's Nation emcee Yoo Jae-Suk in a dance duel with PSY
- Comedian/television personality Noh Hong-cheol dancing in an elevator with his trademark pelvic-thrusting
- Hwang Min-woo, a 5 year old boy who is seen dancing at the beginning of the video. During an interview with CNN, Psy stated that "the night before the music video shoot, I was watching Korea's Got Talent and saw him dance to Michael Jackson. His moves were ridiculous. So we called him up and asked him to be in the music video, which was shooting the very next day, and he came and it all worked out."
About a month after its initial release, on August 17, 2012, Gangnam Style officially won first-place in the Korean music television programme Music Bank on KBS 2TV, scoring a total of 18,601 points.
Chart performance
The song debuted at #6 on the Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 for the week of July 28, 2012. "Gangnam Style" then topped the chart the week after, and has remained at #1 for five weeks. The song has also peaked on Billboard's YouTube Music Chart at #1. On August 21, 2012, Gangnam Style officially charted #1 on the iTunes Music Video Charts, overtaking Justin Bieber's As Long as You Love Me and Katy Perry's Wide Awake; this feat is the first for any South Korean artist.. In South Korea the song was an instant success selling 745,000 downloads in its first week and remains atop the Gaon Single Chart for five consecutive weeks since debut. As of August 23, the song was downloaded over 2,545,837 times in South Korea alone. In Finland, "Gangnam Style" peaked at number one on the official download chart.
Oppa Is Just My Style
Gangnam Style was officially re-released on August 14, 2012 as "Oppa Is Just My Style" (Template:Lang-ko), featuring additional vocals provided by South Korean singer and 4minute member Hyuna. Oppa Is Just My Style is the interpretation of the original "Gangnam Style" from a woman's perspective. Despite criticism against Hyuna's vocals, the accompanying music video has managed to garner nearly 7 million viewers within the first two days after its upload onto YouTube.
Charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 71 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten Top 40) | 9 |
| Finland (Official Finnish Download Chart) | 1 |
| Netherlands (MegaCharts Single Top 100) | 10 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 21 |
| South Korea (Gaon Digital Singles) | 1 |
| Sweden (DigiListan) | 28 |
| UK Singles Chart | 196 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard) | 15 |
| US Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 | 1 |
See also
- K-Pop idol
- The Korean wave
- YG Entertainment, the South Korean record label responsible for releasing Gangnam Style
- Gangnam District, the place that inspired "Gangname Style"(also known as Gangnam-gu, Gangnam)
- List of Internet phenomena
- Internet Meme
References
- ":: 가온차트와 함께하세요 ::". Gaon Chart. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
-
Fekadu, Mesfin (8/27/2012). "Wild, Crazy Style". The Express. Associated Press.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Jeff Benjamin (31 July 2012). "Fall in Love With Psy's 'Gangnam Style' – Korean Rapper Goes Viral". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- Evan Ramstad (3 August 2012). "Psy's 'Gangnam Style' Spreads Beyond South Korea – Korea Real Time – WSJ". Wall Street Journal Blog. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- Deborah Netburn (4 August 2012). "Giddy up! S. Korean rapper Psy's 'Gangnam Style' is unstoppable". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- Surh Jung-min (8 August 2012). "'Gangnam style' goes viral : Arts & Entertainment : Home". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- "Interview: PSY on 'Gangnam Style,' posers and that hysterical little boy". CNNgo. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
- "Psy ranks first place on Music Bank with "Gangnam Style"". korea.com. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- "Korea K-Pop Hot 100, Week of 28 July 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- "Korea K-Pop Hot 100, Week of September 2, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- "YouTube Music Chart, Week of 25 August 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- Jaeyeon Woo (21 August 2012). "Baseball Goes Gangnam Style". Wall Street Journal - Korea Real Time. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
- "Suomen Virallinen Latauslista – Viikko 35, ti 28.8 - ma 3.9.2012" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
- Mallika Rao (15 August 2012). "'Gangnam Style' Becomes 'Oppa Is Just My Style': PSY's 'Girl Version' Followup, Featuring Hyuna (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- Grace Danbi Hong (17 August 2012). "(Video) Hyuna's 'Oppa is Just My Style' Closes In on 6.9 million Views in 2 Days". enewsworld. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- "PSY Album & Song Chart History: Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
- "Tracklisten Top 40, Uge 32 (17.08.2012)". Tracklisten. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- "Tracklisten Top 40, 17/08/2012". DanishCharts.com. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
- "Artistit: PSY". Finland's Official List. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- "Dutch Single Top 100, 25/08/12". 25 August, 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Missing or empty|url=(help); Unknown parameter|http://www.dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=ignored (help) - http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=1992
- Comprehensive Digital Chart. Gaon Chart. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- "DigiListan 2012-09-02". Sveriges Radio. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
- Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update (1.09.2012 – week 34)". zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - "Bubbling Under Hot 100 – Issue Date: 2012-09-08". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
External links
- PSY - GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일) M/V - Official music video on YouTube.