The Magic of ‘Gangnam Style’

As a Korean singer PSY’s “Gangnam Style” has become a hit all over the world, my foreign Facebook friends have been talking to me about the song. I did not expect that this music video would be so popular when I saw it at first in Korea. PSY was not considered to be one of the singers who led the Korean Wave, which indicates the rising popularity of the Korean entertainment culture; nor is he considered someone who is a really “nice and handsome” singer.

I am pretty sure that no Korean dared to expect that this music would be such a big hit. However, “Gangnam Style” has become so popular that I can hear this song almost everywhere, even during classes, as well as at a party. As this music is becoming famous, many Koreans began to have questions such as, “Why is this music so popular?” There are so many Korean singers who have been trained since they were young. Many of them became very popular among Asian countries already. Why haven’t the songs of the well-trained idol groups become favored?
I came up with the answer based on my own thoughts as well as opinions from other people. People are sick of the well-trained stars that look so similar to each other. Well, they could be good at singing and dancing, but that is all—that is nothing new. But PSY is distinct. It is easy for us to identify with him rather than with those idol celebrities. He looks normal rather than good-looking.

He can be one of “us,” who are ordinary people. Moreover, he is super funny in the music video instead of being serious like ordinary idol singers are. His exciting horse-riding dance is easy to follow, therefore everybody can enjoy the dancing. Everyone can be a “PSY”-- this is the magic of “Gangnam Style.”

PSY promised that he would dance without his a shirt when he becomes number one on the Billboard chart. I hope we can watch it soon.

Summer is a senior majoring in marketing