It's the dance. It's all about the dance. That the song is relatively easy to listen to (like there's anything better in the pop music scene now?), and is easily recognizable for Western audiences at least, doesn't hurt in the slightest.

The dance is what makes the song fun; it's easy to remember and imitate, so the song that goes with it is more memorable for it. The fact that it's corny only makes it more memorable. Plus, the corniness is (according to the artist) intentional, since he's trying to parody a South Korean sub-culture. In my view that makes it a satire of sorts, though one unrecognisable to those unfamiliar with the culture it parodies.

When I saw the video to the song it was from a lot of Asia-philes and they explained all the intricacies, much like some people have explained in the thread. PSY is not your typical "rapper" build or personality, the song is a satire, it has a few American/English words like style, of course the dance, which IMO is cool, a few other cultural references.

Plus the people I know are pretty much obsessed with anything satire related.

I live in an area where the most popular music is rap, a bunch of white kids try to be rappers, Nelly and some others from his group went to the highschool I and most of my friends attended, so the song is really cool because it draws parallels perhaps unintentionally to the mainstream rap scene, effectively pop-rap and gangsta rap, in its satire and so forth.

Obviously dumbass people like the song as well, though for different reasons, and some people just really, really like the dance.

I can understand disliking it, but you'd have to be intentionally obtuse not to be able to understand at least 1 of the myriad reasons other people like it.

I was first exposed to the song watching the Filippino channel with my wife. Another entertainer was dancing to the song and though I didn't get the stuff behind the song, I thought it was ok. I don't think I would've cared for it as much had I seen the actual video first.

Anytime I catch myself thinking, "I don't get it, why the hell does anyone think this is cool?" I realise I'm old and people always say that sort of thing about the younger generations. Pop music isn't typically about quality so if there's some sort of deeper meaning behind the song, so much the better.

I heard the “song” (if you can call it such) for the first time yesterday, prompted by something I saw online.
I know it has been a meme for a while but I don’t jump onto every bandwagon that passes by.
Then I had a house party during which someone requested it, so I heard it twice on the first day I ever heard it.

I want my 6 minutes back.


I don’t usually complain about new fads. What was cool when I was a child caused older folk to whine, thinking their glory days were the real cool.
I was only 5 years old when I said, “I’m not going to be like them.”


So here I am, trying to keep a mind open as much as possible.
Sometimes new fads annoy me but I can somewhat understand from where they are coming.

I am really doing my best here, but I just can’t understand this Gangnum Style fad.


It’s a viral video, so mechanically speaking that means someone watched it at the start, thought it was hot beans, and started passing it off to all of his or her friends.
With those basic mechanics in place, I try to imagine I was that first person.

I watch the video.
I then say to myself, “Never going to watch this crap again,” and move on with my life.
Did I miss something? Why in hell would that first person think this was worth sharing with any other human being?
I keep trying to reenact this in my mind, seeking that one end result in which I share this with any other human being, and I just can’t find it.
This song is annoying as hell, but I can at least understand its catchiness and can see the path where I, the first one to hear it, pass it on to friends.


What the hell does Gangnam Style offer?
The song is not catchy. I heard it only hours ago, twice, and I just remember some bendy notes and a voice trying to say “Gangnam Style” but actually saying, “Open Gundam Stye”.
There was a beach and a fat guy in a blue suit. A guy in a yellow suit danced around him.

At which point do these things become cool?

If I am the first person to hear this song, what reason is there for me not to just move on with my life and ignore this entirely?
We all ignore 99% of everything we hear. We can’t pay attention to it all.
We filter out what we think is worthless and aim to hear just the important parts.

Why would I ever not filter this out?

I posed this quandary to the person who requested this song and his response was more than disappointing: “Just…I like it. I don’t know….”

If it was not already famous I would never have heard it nor paid any special attention to it.
So why is it famous?
It’s a fat guy. He’s not cute (is he??). His dance is not original nor cool. The song is not catchy (I can barely remember the melody, thank God).
Are we just that desperate for entertainment??
Do we just pick trends from a bag of random these days?

Please, someone, explain this to me. I have been trying to imagine being that first person, and the only way I can see this getting spread around is if I were Hitler and I sent this to all of my enemies.
Did Hitler spread this around? Are we all just innocent victims of a hate crime?


L. Spiro

Wow... wow...I felt sad reading your post compared to my feeling waching other people doing "gangnam style" videos. At least i know those people are just want to dance and be happy, and upload their "gangnam style" video to youtubes. Reading your last line, thank goodness I haven't foward that song to any of my friend, considering I was late to the party, but did you just claim that people who send that song to their friend is Hitler?

Here, let me make this simple:

1. You don't like that song? OK. I get it. I don't like any of Justin Bieber song either. But there is no need to put it down just because you don't like it. If I like RPG compared to FPS it doesn't mean I can say that FPS are sheet.

2. As other have mentoned, both othe lyric (have you google the meaning?) is a parody, it has a lot of inside jokes, and so does the video music.

Truth be told, the song IS catchy. And take this from a person who ALWAYS late to the party. I don't jump to a song just because it has lots of hit on the youtube, I listen to it if it hit my interest. And I listen to all kind of music (classic, chip tune, new age (kitaro), beatles, acdc, you name it).

And another thing is that, have you listen to song with different language than yours? Their country (whatever that is) do have good composer. I myself listen to German and Bollywood, among others. And you also need to understand other people culture. Just my 2 cent.