Remember When the Internet Peaked? Gangnam Style Turns 13 Today

Guys, today was a day that brought back some memories! Today was the day, 13 years ago, that the Psy video for "Gangnam Style" came out. And yes, we tried for ages to get our Doug to dress as Psy for Halloween...didn't work out.

But you remember the horse dance. You remember the beat that took over every wedding and meme that year. But PSY’s “Gangnam Style” isn’t just catchy, there's a little more to it. It’s basically a comedy sketch wrapped in K-pop gold foil. Beneath the pelvic thrusts and explosions we got distracted by is a smart takedown of Korea’s obsession with wealth, status, and appearances.

I know! I didn't see it at the time, either. We (by that I mean me and people I know) didn't know anything about K-pop, or even that it was a thing. I just knew it was a crazy video, and I, like a lot of people, thought that was just the way they did things there. I didn't need to understand it at the time. Now... oh. I look back at myself, that sweet summer child, who had not gone down the rabbit hole yet.

Warning: I am not claiming to be an expert in K-Pop or Korean culture.  I'm just a fan. I could be wrong, and if I am, that's okay.  I'll learn. 

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One thing you might need to know:  Gangnam is a district in Seoul.  We have a similar thing in the States. You know, like how in the USA, we all know about the five different districts in New York City - Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island, Queens.  It's not a different city, it's a smaller part of a bigger whole.  Same thing with this. It's an area of Seoul that's known to be "new money".  And it's very, very expensive.

Also - Psy is 34 at the time this video came out.  Most singers in K-Pop start when they're teenagers.  Careers start to wind down or change in the early thirties.  So he's aware he's older and not as physically perfect at normal pop singers, and so is the audience - and he uses it for comedy.  He's deliberately wearing crazy outfits that are too tight, for example.  He's a dude who does some comedy in his songs and videos, but isn't necessarily a comedian.  He's the closest thing they have to a Weird Al Yankovic - in that he's usually not serious.  But he doesn't do parodies like WAY does.

It's a character, though.  He doesn't always look like that.  For example:

He even uses the character in that (that) video.  He's got huge billboards with his face everywhere on what is clearly a set, he's doing some of the weirdest dance moves you've seen, he's wearing FAR too much fringe... you get it.  Half serious, half not.

So knowin that, here we go.  I'm gonna take you through a couple of things, and see if you noticed these. I didn't, at least at the time.

PSY lies dreamily in what appears to be a beach... until we zoom out and see he’s chilling in a playground sandbox.  And that one kid is Hella Annoyed he's there.

Instant reality check. Gangnam pretends to be luxury, but sometimes it's just expensive dirt in a different shape. DEEP, right?  I had to have that one explained to me.

PSY dances in a horse stable while fireworks explode behind him. This scene is pure parody— Gangnam flaunts wealth like it’s glam, but this is literally a pile of manure dressed up with pyrotechnics.

If you look really close here at about 41 seconds in, you can see the girls next to him laughing.  It's so redonk, not even the models can keep it together.

Yes, he is screaming at a woman's butt.  This ties in to the character he's playing, this overconfident "new money" guy.  The character is very self obsessed and brags about stuff in the lyrics he... probably shouldn't be bragging about.   He brags about drinking scalding hot coffee in one swallow.  And also brags about how he wants a girl that can afford Starbucks.  You dig it. "A guy who goes completely crazy when it's the right time/A guy whose ideas bulge bigger than his muscles".... yeah.  This is a dude who is bragging, big time.  And the audience knows he probably shouldn't be.  It's braggadocios, but the character isn't backing it up.

And here's another tip off we're not being serious here:  celebrity cameos. 

This might be the most meme-worthy moment: comedian Noh Hong-chul pelvic-thrusting like a neon maniac over PSY’s head in an elevator. It’s physical comedy, sure— but it also mocks the absurdity of attention-seeking behavior. You know, those guys who are SO LOUD but have nothing to say?

Anyway, Hong-chul had been on a variety show at the time called MBC Infinite Challenge. He'd been doing that dance for a while on the  show for a while, and was known for it.  Here's a segment from the show.

You see the host of that?  The guy in glasses next to Jack Black?  That's Yoo Jae-suk.  He's also in the video. Hit the "cc" button and it'll pop up with English translations.

Yep, he's yellow suit man.  Yoo Jae-suk is a very, very popular comedian and host on Korean television.  He's probably one of the closest things they have to a Dick Clark figure, in comparison to American culture.  They are similar in that he's everywhere, everyone trusts him, and if you need a host, he's probably your guy.  He's been the lead of one of the biggest shows in eastern Asia, Running Man, for years.

And yes, that is a ridiculous outfit and wig that he would never wear.  He's very much a quiet, Dad kind of humor.  I'd recommend watching the show Busted! on Netflix, and you'll get his humor.  And hey, if that introduces you to the joy that is knowing Oh Sehun, then you're also set.

Shortly after this, we have ANOTHER celebrity cameo.  HyunA.

She's a pop star, and was much more popular at the time.  She would have been instantly recognizable. She was in the group 4Minute.  She had a huge hit the year before, and was the first K-pop soloist to have over 100 million views.

Moving on, we soon Psy in a different pose. He strikes a power pose—elbows on knees, eyes closed like a monk in a Lexus ad — until the camera reveals he's sitting on a toilet.  Just to remind you, in Gangnam, they keep it classy.  End sarcasm.

The ending? A massive explosion knocks everyone over after PSY yells “Oppa Gangnam Style.” Why? Because this character's obsession with this money and these women... its unsustainable.  It'll explode and collapse.  DEEP, right?!

In short, “Gangnam Style” is a goofy fever dream with a serious wink. It's PSY saying, "Hey, this is ridiculous—and we’re all doing it anyway." It’s satire you can dance to. What’s not to love?

It was uploaded to YouTube by PSY’s label, and within weeks, it went explosively viral, eventually becoming the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views (in December 2012). At its peak, it broke YouTube’s view counter and forced Google to upgrade their system to handle more than 2,147,483,647 views. Yes, it broke math.

And now, you've learned a bit more about it.

Good god, I'm a nerd.  Thank you for reading!

Gangnamly yours,

Behka