In August 2012, word got out about this absolutely bonkers Korean video that you had to see to believe. It was "Gangnam Style," a K-pop sugar rush starring the South Korean singer/rapper Psy, who despite being somewhat egg-shaped, could really bust a move. Unlike the squeaky clean K-pop stars BTS, which conquered the world several years later, Psy was somewhat subversive and became a global sensation organically. Born Park Jae-sang, his stage name, Psy, stems from the first three letters of the word "psycho." Popular in his home country, he was known for the satirical slant of his songs and his humorous videos and stage performances. "Gangnam Style" was released on July 15, 2012 and entered the South Korean singles chart (Gaon) at #1, spending five weeks at the peak position. A few weeks later, the rest of the world discovered the song as it spread virally on YouTube, with various celebrities and influencers posting about it. The numbers were staggering: In September 2012, it became the most-liked video in YouTube history, with over 2 million likes (surpassing LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," which had about 1.5 million). In November, it became the most-viewed video in YouTube history, with over 800 million views to overtake Justin Bieber's "Baby." On December 21, 2012, it became the first video to reach a billion views on the service.
The song title refers to the luxurious lifestyle associated with the affluent and trendy Gangnam section of the South Korean capital city of Seoul. (Gangham literally means "south of the river.") Psy compares to the location to a sexy lady who knows when to be refined and when to get wild.
The lyrics are all in Korean except for the line, "hey... sexy lady." It's about a guy flossing his fashionable "Gangnam style," and the sexy girl he's after. Here are a few of the lines translated to English: I'm a guy who has bulging ideas rather than muscles That kind of guy Beautiful, lovable A girl who covers herself but is more sexy than a girl who bares it all A sensible girl like that
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