Gangnam‘s Style
Text by Kyle Dore; Photos by Kyle Dore
M
ore than ever, elements of Korean culture are
seeping into the minds of other countries
around the world. One of the most prominent
methods in recent years surely has to do with Korean
music. K-Pop (as it’s known) has signiicant fan bases
in Japan, Europe, and North America and has allowed
fans to come in contact with Korean pop stars and idols.
As it stands, many Korean singers have crossed into the
domain of western movies and music. Former pop star
turned actor Rain for example, even starred in a recent
American action movie. Rain, however, may soon be
overshadowed by a more unlikely idol. Established
Korean rapper/singer Psy (short for psycho) has
recently risen to superstardom in Korea and around the
world thanks to his infectious hit “Gangnam Style” and
its equally popular music video.
With appearances on American talk shows
and events, the worldwide popularity of this song has
arguably reached the highest level of international fame
of any K-Pop song thus far. Psy’s “Gangnam Style” video
on Youtube is approaching the three-hundred million
view mark and is still currently a common topic on social
media sites like Facebook and Reddit. It goes without
saying that Psy is also a household name in Korea, and
has performed to sold out crowds who eagerly wait to
see and hear him perform his now ultra-popular song
and accompanying dance.
Many non-Koreans are very receptive to the
song’s style and comedic video, but are confused by
the name. Gangnam is not a person or a dance, it’s a
place. Gangnam, one of the many districts of Seoul, is
certainly the richest and most aluent of all. Located
south of the Han River, Gangnam is doted with modern
skyscrapers and bustling shopping centers. Many of
Korea’s largest businesses have their head oices in
Gangnam including both samsung and Hyundai. As one
of the richest neighborhoods in Korea, Gangnam has a
certain reputation as a kind of Korean Beverly Hills. Psy
makes it clear that one of the themes of his song (and
accompanying dance) is that you should dress classy
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