“Gangnam Style” is the title track of Psy’s 6th studio album, “Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1,” released on July 15, 2012. The song garnered immense popularity worldwide through YouTube, becoming a massive hit globally. The music video for “Gangnam Style” accumulated over 5 billion views on YouTube, once holding the record for the most-viewed video globally and even earning a spot in the Guinness World Records.
“The Song That Brought Psy a Second Heyday, Gangnam Style”
“Gangnam Style” also marked a second heyday for Psy. Before the song’s immense popularity, Psy was mainly known domestically as a singer, but “Gangnam Style” elevated him to the ranks of international celebrities.
Alongside the song’s popularity, Psy engaged in international activities and appeared on various famous TV shows abroad. The iconic “horse dance” featured in the music video also gained worldwide popularity, inspiring numerous online imitations, akin to a “horse dance challenge.”
“A Music Video with ‘B-Grade Sensibility'”
The music video for “Gangnam Style” epitomized the popular trend of “B-grade sensibility” at the time. Though featuring celebrities like Yoo Jae-suk, their portrayal exuded a charm closer to “B-grade” than “A-grade,” aligning with the trend of modest aesthetics prevalent during that period. This trendsetting music video spread beyond Korea to captivate audiences worldwide, enchanting many with Psy’s “Gangnam Style.”
“Statue of Gangnam Style at COEX”
Seoul City responded to the song’s popularity by erecting a “horse dance photo zone” at Gangnam Station and a “horse dance statue” at COEX. The Gangnam Style horse dance statue, made of bronze and measuring 5.3m in height and 8.3m in width, was installed in front of COEX in Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in April 2016, with a budget of over 400 million KRW. The statue features the phrase “Gangnam Style” in English engraved on its crossed hands, symbolizing the horse dance. Gangnam-gu stated, “By erecting a statue symbolizing the globally popular horse dance, it will become a landmark of Gangnam, attracting many foreign tourists.”
“A Work Erected Without Psy’s Consent”
However, this work was created without securing the consent of Psy, the singer who popularized “Gangnam Style.” In an interview with Ilgan Sports on July 24, 2017, Psy responded to the question, “What do you think when you see the statue?” by saying, “It’s excessive. Even just the hands make me laugh.” He added, “It was a hit that hadn’t been seen before, so everyone enjoyed it. It just happened because it’s my job. It wasn’t even something for the country, but Gangnam-gu erected the statue with taxpayers’ money. I’m truly grateful from the beginning, but I think it’s too much.”
“Still Standing: The Gangnam Style Horse Dance Statue”
As of April 15, 2016, the Gangnam Style horse dance statue located near COEX continues to stand in its place. However, given that more than a decade has passed since the song’s release, the response is not as fervent as before. It remains to be seen how many foreign tourists remember Psy’s “Gangnam Style” after more than a decade.
Nevertheless, the Gangnam Style statue still stands around COEX, and the artwork depicting the horse dance movement with hands remains unchanged. Next to the statue, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” music video continues to play repeatedly.
As a piece of art that now evokes nostalgia, the “Gangnam Style” statue represents a song that engraved the name “Gangnam” in Seoul onto the world stage.
“Seoul COEX ‘Gangnam Style Statue'”