The early 2010s were a time when a song or singer could suddenly become a hit. Of course, digital platforms had a big share in this, which started a new era of promotion and virality.
In July 2012, South Korean singer and rapper Psy burst onto the global music scene in a bright blue tuxedo, an unforgettable dance and catchy lyrics to “Oppan Gangnam Style”. Gangnam Style quickly went viral and took the world by storm. The song first took over the radio channels, the music video flooded Facebook, YouTube was abuzz with Psy. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in September before hitting number one two weeks later. Also, Gangnam Style became the first video to reach 1 billion views on YouTube.
Already popular in his own country but not well known around the world, Psy soon became one of the most recognizable artists in the world. She broke three Guinness World Records in a year and performed with Madonna at Madison Square Garden in New York. For a 35-year-old from Seoul, this achievement was something he could never have imagined.
K-Pop storm that started with Gangnam Style
But the song’s influence extended far beyond the music industry. In fact, the success of Gangnam Style is widely regarded as an important catalyst for the “Korean wave”, or the recent international spread of Korean culture. According to Gyu Tag Lee, associate professor of cultural studies specializing in K-pop at George Mason University’s South Korea campus, it was “Gangnam Style” that promoted Korean pop culture outside of East Asia: He made K-pop really popular and big overseas.”
Now Gangnam Style is celebrating its tenth anniversary. In this decade, South Korean talents have reached new levels of global popularity and fandom. K-pop group BTS was the world’s best-selling music group in 2021, and the group has performed at the Grammys ever since. Meanwhile, Blackpink performed at the Coachella music festival and collaborated with names like Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez. Its four members have joined major brands or luxury fashion houses as ambassadors.
Lee believes this hugely successful K-pop trend has followed in Psy’s footsteps by using shareable video content to reach global audiences: “If Gangnam Style hadn’t been a huge hit, it wouldn’t have been BTS, it wouldn’t have been Blackpink.”
BTS makes frequent references and thanks to Psy for helping to globalize K-pop. Suga, one of the members of the group, co-produced and featured on the song “That That”, the lead single from Psy’s new album “Psy 9th”. The song has already been viewed over 272 million times on YouTube.
In a behind-the-scenes video interview posted on Psy’s YouTube account, Suga expresses his gratitude to the “Gangnam Style” singer, “He paved the way for K-pop in the US and allowed us to follow that path more comfortably.”
And the appreciation is mutual. “I think it’s an incredible achievement,” Psy says of BTS’ success. “Every part of me is applauding and cheering for them. That heavy burden I felt in 2012… BTS has been shouldering it for six or seven years.”
What is PSY doing now?
In an interview for the tenth anniversary, Psy admits that his global success is not only pleasing, but also very different.
While Psy never quite matched the success of “Gangnam Style,” he has spent the last ten years proving himself as a musician and dancer with a unique drive to entertain. Since 2012, he has released three albums full of different styles, ranging from softer, rhythmic ballads. Since founding P-Nation, he has worked to discover, develop and creatively support the next generation of South Korean bands and artists.
Amid all this, Psy still fills the venues in his home country. Although the annual concert series “Summer Swag” has been postponed due to the pandemic, it continues these days.
“Engaging (and) sharing that experience with the audience is something I can’t even describe,” Psy says. “I feel incredibly proud and happy in that moment.”
And his mission hasn’t changed since his debut: “Making fun music, dancing fun, and bringing joy to fans.”
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