Introduction of Gangnam Style
Gangnam Style
Gangnam Style is a 2012 dance pop single written and performed by Korean pop singer PSY. The song was released in July 2012 as the lead single of his sixth studio album Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1, and debuted at number one on South Korea’s Gaon Chart. On December 21, 2012, “Gangnam Style” became the first YouTube video to reach a billion views. As of October 27, 2013, the music video has been viewed over 1.8 billion times on YouTube, and it is the site’s most watched video after surpassing Justin Bieber’s single “Baby”.
What Does Gangnam Style Mean?
“Gangnam” means “south (nam) of the river (gang)” in Korean. In this song, the “river (gang)” is the Han River, which penetrates the City of Seoul, capital of South Korea. The northern part of Seoul (gangbuk) has been the capital of Korea since the early 15th century. Development of Gangnam and expansion of Seoul started in 1970s. Gangnam is the icon of the rapid economic development of South Korea in 1970s and 80s. Mostly benefited from skyrocketing real estate price followed by planned economic development, Gangnam has become the wealthiest area in the entire South Korea. “Gangnam” is being regarded as the place where people are rich, girls are pretty and everything is supposed to be cool.
“Gangnam Style” simply is referencing this sort of elite, “new money”, wealthy culture and lifestyle that has sprung up around the region. As pop critic Kim Zakka, who lives in Seoul, said “Gangnam inspires both envy and distaste. Gangnam residents are South Korea’s upper class, but South Koreans consider them self-interested, with no sense of nobility.”
Or, as Park Jae-sang (PSY, who himself was from a wealthy family and grew up close to Gangnam) said, Gangnam residents are seen as “good-looking because of plastic surgery, stylish because they can splurge on luxury goods, and slim thanks to yoga and personal trainers.” Sounds a bit like wealthy people from Los Angeles…
He further states,
People who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that they are—it’s only the posers and wannabes that put on these airs and say that they are “Gangnam Style”—so this song is actually poking fun at those kinds of people who are trying so hard to be something that they’re not.
“Oppan Gangnam style” literally means “Older Brother has Gangnam style”. He’s not talking to his little sister, though. The “oppa” / “older brother” usage here is common in South Korea, not unlike “daddy” in certain parts of the US, but in this case specifically being a term that shows respect and affection- used by women about certain older men. Basically, it just means “boyfriend” or “close, guy friend who is older than you” in this sense, though can also be used to literally mean an older brother in your family.
The Horse Dance
The mass appeal of the music video has been attributed to its signature dance move known as “the horse-riding dance,” which combines the stylistic elements of shuffle dancing and hand movements resembling the posture of a horseback rider.
During its onset, speculations arose in Korean Internet communities that the dance may have been pioneered a year earlier by a Korean pop group Girls’ Day in their 2011 debut single Tilting Head. However, PSY later revealed in interviews that he came up with the dance during a talent contest at a post-concert event in August 2011.
The song has received mixed to positive ratings from music critics. Music journalist Bill Lamb from About.com praised the song for “spreading smiles and pure fun around the world in record time.”
Despite its popularity, a few music critics including Robert Copsey from Digital Spy criticized the song for being monotonous. Cospey wrote that “you could slap an LMFAO tag on the cover and few would know the difference” and Paul Lester of The Guardian similarly labelled it as “generic ravey Euro dance with guitars”. Lester described the song as “Pump Up the Jam meets the Macarenawith a dash of Cotton Eye Joe” while Robert Myers of The Village Voice dismissed “Gangnam Style” as an “inspired piece of silliness”.
Why is Gangnam Style so popular?
10 reasons why Gangnam Style has been so successful:
1. The music is catchy: The rhythm is simple and repetitive.
2. Synergy between the music and visuals.
3. Silly but fun: Yes, it is silly, but, as someone in the group said, “it is a pure joy to watch.”
4. Ambiguity and intrigue.
5. Doesn’t take itself seriously: Psy is making fun of himself while making fun of every pop video cliché you have ever seen.
6. South Korean cool.
7. The format lends itself to parody: Whether it is the Thai Navy, Eton School or My Little Pony, the video provides content that is easy to replicate.
8. The dance.
9. The back story: The fact that Gangnam is a district in Seoul, originally somewhat seedy but now the haunt of the nouveau riche lends extra depth to the video’s success.
10. Peer pressure.
Gangnam Style English Translation:
A girl who is warm and humanle during the day
A classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffee
A girl whose heart gets hotter when night comes
A girl with that kind of twist
I’m a guy
A guy who is as warm as you during the day
A guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools down
A guy whose heart bursts when night comes
That kind of guy
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh
A girl who looks quiet but plays when she plays
A girl who puts her hair down when the right time comes
A girl who covers herself but is more sexy than a girl who bares it all
A sensable girl like that
I’m a guy
A guy who seems calm but plays when he plays
A guy who goes completely crazy when the right time comes
A guy who has bulging ideas rather than muscles
That kind of guy
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable
Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh
On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby
I’m a man who knows a thing or two
On top of the running man is the flying man, baby baby
I’m a man who knows a thing or two
You know what I’m saying
Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady, Oppa is Gangnam style
Eh- Sexy Lady oh oh oh oh
Gangnam Style Romanized:
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Kang-namseutayil
Naje-neun ttasaroun inkanjeo-gin yeoja
Keopi hanjanye yeoyureuraneun pumkyeok i-nneun yeoja
Bami omyeon shimjangi tteugeowojineun yeoja
Keureon banjeon i-nneun yeoja
Naneun sana-i
Naje-neun neomankeum ttasaroun geureon sana-i
Keopi shikgido jeone wonsyas ttaerineun sana-i
Bami omyeon shimjangi teojyeobeorineun sana-i
Keureon sana-i
Areumdawo sarangseureowo
Keurae neo hey keurae baro neo hey
Areumdawo sarangseureowo
Keurae neo hey keurae baro neo hey
Chigeumbu-teo kal dekkaji kabol-kka
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Kang-namseutayil
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Kang-namseutayil
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Eh- sexy lady
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Eh- sexy lady
O-oo-o
Jeongsu-khae boijiman nol ttaen noneun yeoja
Ittaeda shipeumyeon mukkeot-deon meori puneun yeoja
Karyeot-jiman wen-manhan nochulboda yahan yeoja
Keureon gamkakjeo-gin yeoja
Naneun sana-i
Jeomjanha boijiman nol ttaen noneun sana-i
Ttae-ga dwehmyeon wahnjeon michyeobeorineun sana-i
Keunyukboda sasangi ul-tungbul-tung-han sana-i
Keureon sana-i
Areumdawo sarangseureowo
Keurae neo hey keurae baro neo hey
Areumdawo sarangseureowo
Keurae neo hey keurae baro neo hey
Chigeumbu-teo kal dekkaji kabol-kka
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Kang-namseutayil
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Kang-namseutayil
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Eh- sexy lady
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Eh- sexy lady
O-oo-o
Ttwiineun nom keu wiie naneun nom
Baby baby
Naneun mwol jom aneun nom
Ttwiineun nom keu wiie naneun nom
Baby baby
Naneun mwol jom aneun nom
You know what i’m saying
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Eh- sexy lady
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Eh- sexy lady
Oppan gang-namseutayil
Do you love this song? If so, download the Gangnam Style piano sheet music and have a try now!
