Known for its bizarre scenes and signature dance moves, the 2012 K-Pop music video “Gangnam Style” went viral as it dominated the iTunes charts and overtook Carly Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe” as number one on YouTube’s Top 100 Music Videos. At first glance, its strange episodes and frame-by-frame absurdity are written off as comedy; however, “Gangnam Style” is rich with subtext and subtle messages that explore the values of today’s society.
Here are the basics: Gangnam, often referred to as the “Beverly Hills of Seoul”, is a neighborhood located in Seoul, well known for its lavish and luxurious lifestyle. Park Jae-Sang, the singer behind this internet phenomenon, is known as “PSY,” which is short for “Psycho.” “Gangnam Style” accomplished what all K-pop endeavors try so hard to do: transgress into American pop culture. The video has been widely praised on Twitter by celebrities such as T-Pain and Katy Perry, and Nelly Furtado did a cover performance on her latest tour to the Philippines. It’s official: Gangnam Style is the new hit song, video and dance. If you haven’t watched the music video yet, now would be a good time to do so.
So, what does “Gangnam Style” even mean?
For all the non-Koreans, the lyrics of “Gangnam Style” tell a simple story about PSY’s desire for a girl, particularly one “who knows when to be refined and when to be wild”. He also describes himself as an ordinary guy who knows how to treat a girl right, who has “bulging ideas rather than muscles”. That’s sweet, isn’t it?
Despite the romantic meaning of the lyrics, the music video tells a different story. PSY is portrayed as a lucrative caricature of the typical Gangnam man. He appears to be wealthy and high-classed, leading the audience to believe that he is the perfect match for a "Gangnam woman". However, each scene that depict his wealth is usually followed by one that undermines it, suggesting that his extravagant life isn’t what it seems to be. In the opening scene, PSY appears to recline on a beach while an attractive woman fans him; however, as the camera pans outwards, he is shown to actually be in a public playground. He is also seen partying on a local Korean bus, dancing in the subway, and rapping while on a toilet. Every time he attempts to parade his wealth, his lifestyle is actually not as luxurious as it seems. This suggests that PSY feels like he must be a perfect, wealthy Gangnam man in order to get a girl, when in reality, he realizes that he is just as normal as everyone else.
Not only is this message developed subtly in the video, but it is also explicitly directed towards to the entire Korean society. Park Jae-Sang mentioned in a recent interview that one of his intentions in making the music video is to display our materialistic society. He cautions the people of Gangnam not to “spend [money]just to look wealthy”. However, PSY did not want to communicate this in an ordinary way (he is “Psycho”, after all), and chose a comedic approach to appeal to the audience instead.
It worked. “Gangnam Style” is a representative video of our music culture today, commended for both its comedic appearance and underlying message. It has received worldwide recognition for its odd humor, catchy tune, and memorable dance moves. The video amuses viewers by putting a smile on their faces, but also makes them question some facets of society. For that, “Gangnam Style” is truly a masterpiece.
Note from beijingkids: Check out The Beijinger’s Gangam-style video
This article originally appeared in the October 2012 issue of UNIT-E. It was written by Becky Yin, a student at the International School of Beijing.
About UNIT-E
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.
