Significance of the Video "Gangnam Style" in Korean Pop Culture

SIGNIFICANCE OF “GUNMAN STYLE (VIDEO SONG)” IN KOREAN POP CULTURE
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“Significance of “Gunman Style (Video Song)” in Korean Pop Culture”
Korean pop culture has produced a number of masterpieces since its inception that depict the complex interplay among cultural, social, and historical influences on Korean realities. This paper focuses on the music video released by South Korean rapper Psy that gained global recognition. The song contains aesthetic and artistic elements, primarily mocking the ostentatious nature of the modern lifestyle and obsession with materialistic pursuits while touching on sociocultural realities and divides within South Korean culture.
It is noteworthy that the song, soon after its release, became a global hit. It secured 10 billion views on YouTube worldwide and sparked social commentaries throughout the world (Koo, 2022). In this way, the song has played a vital role in showcasing the realities of Korean culture to the global audience and making people from different cultures relate themselves to the video and music at different levels.
The song begins with the chorus repeatedly playing "Oppa Gangnam Style," which can be translated as "your brother or older brother has Gangnam style." Throughout the video, the singer performs queer dance steps. The steps and moves can sometimes be described as humorous and unorthodox or cringe-worthy. After repeating the chorus, the singer delves into modern life's habitual patterns or rituals. Gangnam, which is a modern place in Korea populated by wealthy communities, is presented as the archetype of the modern lifestyle (Tobsi, 2013). Apparently, the singer expresses his obsession with that lifestyle, which involves having fun, being at parties, engaging in merrymaking, and enjoying all the pleasures at one's disposal.
Firstly, it is important to understand the aesthetic effects of the song that lie in the rhythm, syncing between music and video, and rapid transition of scenes. The emotions excited through these features can be described through the lens of the 'aesthetic theory' of the culture industry, which appeals to 'love at first sight' (Bourdieu, 2018). It is one of the reasons that the video went viral worldwide and impressed an audience that did not even understand the meaning of the song (as it was sung in the Korean language).
However, it is important to understand that the real beauty and purpose of the song lie beyond its aesthetic appeal. The song can best be described as a satire aiming to poke fun at modern life's meaningless pursuits and frivolities. It is evident from the expressions, settings, and characters in the background that the singer is rather exposing the follies of the so-called high-end lifestyle than purely wishing to portray himself as a Gangnam. Hence, the song's deeper meanings require patience and thoughtful consideration of possibilities by the audience instead of getting absorbed into its instant musical effects.
The song’s purpose is also evident by the elements of exaggeration. It highlights the ugly realities of modern popular culture and the pressure of expectations drawing peop...