# Oppa Gangnam Style - awesome Korean music video **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919 "2012-08-09T00:50:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/41 "2012-09-20T14:02:40Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Gangnam is for the nouveau riche; I imagine Sun was from old money. Most of the old money families actually live north of the river. Gangnam literally means south of the river, but it can also be used to a specific area around Gangnam Station, which ironically is nowhere close to being classy, day or night. Interesting that they used the borrowed Chinese word for “South”. I had never heard of this guy until I saw the SNL skit last week. What a hoot. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/42 "2012-09-20T17:50:40Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > I’m ashamed to say I have no idea how many views I’ve contributed towards the total, but it’s quite a large number. I cannot, apparently, stop watching this. > > And now I have some friends who are similarly addicted. Mwa-hahahahaahah! It is, quite simply, the most awesome music video ever made, in any genre 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/43 "2012-09-21T04:54:40Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > It’s not really social commentary, despite what that Atlantic article says. It’s just a song about a guy who wants to date a Gangnam girl because she’s classy during the day but a party girl at night (like the Gangnam area itself, according to the song). I suppose you could take that as commentary about the hypocrisy of Korean society in general. The music video itself parodies typical Korean music videos that like to make Seoul look like some glamorous and opulent city. Well, even The Atlantic article admits that the satire comes from the music video much more than the lyrics. Though they do point out the somewhat odd line about slamming down an entire cup of coffee while it’s still hot possibly parodying “tough guy” posturing – unless that’s a real tough guy thing in Korea. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Interesting that they used the borrowed Chinese word for “South”. > > I had never heard of this guy until I saw the SNL skit last week. What a hoot. I’m not surprised at all, I think Korea is a bit better about it than Japan, but I think they have a large number of Chinese loan words. I do understand that Korean education at least in some small part relies on learning certain amounts of Chinese characters for use idiomatically (I’m not sure on the particulars, maybe Hazelnut can chime in). In fact, on Psy’s own sixth album [cover](http://kpopsurf.com/wp-content/gallery/psy/Psy-6-best-part-1-kpopsurf.jpg), there’s a Chinese character on it in the title (甲) which means “armor” or “best” in some contexts (like this one – but in general, even in Japanese it can means things like “top in rank”) ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/44 "2012-09-21T13:24:45Z")
They have been playing this song way too frequently on our local pop/rock station. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/45 "2012-09-21T13:28:51Z")
Korean does use a lot of classic Chinese characters. In middle school and high school we had a “Chinese Character” class, which is kind of like Latin for English speakers I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/46 "2012-09-21T18:14:32Z")
> **['Gangnam Style' Sets a Guinness World Record](https://mashable.com/archive/gangnam-style-guinness-world-record)** > > 'Gangnam Style' Sets a Guinness World Record Broke LMFAOs record for most-liked Youtube video. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/47 "2012-09-21T18:29:13Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Open condom style. This song cries out to be Buffalaxed, right? “Heeeeeeeeyyyy sex-filled lady! Op-op-open condom style!” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/48 "2012-09-21T18:32:28Z")
I love this song and the music video. I don’t know how much I’ve listened to it. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/49 "2012-09-21T19:56:58Z")
I stand corrected. This is what I get for reading YouTube comments, and not fact checking on my own. Still, awesome song. Epic video. And Psy seems so dang nice! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/50 "2012-09-21T20:11:22Z")
Well now I’ve watched and listened to this video so much I think I’m beginning to understand Korean. What does it say on that banner in the beginning? What is that horse saying at the end? ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/51 "2012-09-21T21:46:24Z")
This was much bigger than the numa numa craze in 2005 ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/52 "2012-09-22T00:39:10Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Well now I’ve watched and listened to this video so much I think I’m beginning to understand Korean. What does it say on that banner in the beginning? What is that horse saying at the end? The banner in the beginning is actually in English - it just says Gangnam Style. 🙂 The horse is also saying Oppa Gangnam Style. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/53 "2012-09-22T02:43:34Z")
[Gangnam Style dance-off escalates into gang shootout in Bangkok](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/21/gangnam-style-danceoff-shootout-bangkok) Excerpt: \*\*"Gangnam Style, by the K-pop star Psy, has inspired a West Side Story-esque show of rivalry between two Bangkok gangs who are said to have had a dance-off before engaging in a gun battle. “The INN website reported that the two gangs were dining in the same restaurant when ‘the younger members of both groups danced provocatively at each other in the manner of top hit Gangnam Style’. The dance-off escalated into an argument and, eventually, a gun attack in the upmarket Ekkamai neighbourhood, in which one of the gangs fired at least 50 bullets from a carbine and an 11mm gun.”\*\* ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/54 "2012-09-22T02:53:47Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > [Gangnam Style dance-off escalates into gang shootout in Bangkok](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/21/gangnam-style-danceoff-shootout-bangkok) > > Excerpt: \*\*"Gangnam Style, by the K-pop star Psy, has inspired a West Side Story-esque show of rivalry between two Bangkok gangs who are said to have had a dance-off before engaging in a gun battle. > > “The INN website reported that the two gangs were dining in the same restaurant when ‘the younger members of both groups danced provocatively at each other in the manner of top hit Gangnam Style’. The dance-off escalated into an argument and, eventually, a gun attack in the upmarket Ekkamai neighbourhood, in which one of the gangs fired at least 50 bullets from a carbine and an 11mm gun.”\*\* Another over-blown blame music story by sensationalistic media obviously unconcerned with facts or truth. There is no evidence that the song or the music “inspired” a gang shoot out. It was a bunch of hot headed criminals provoking each other and weapons were used. End o’ story. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/55 "2012-09-22T02:55:44Z")
Not “inspired.” Escalated from. But I take it you _really_ love this video. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/56 "2012-09-22T02:59:36Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Not “inspired.” Escalated from. But I take it you _really_ love this video. 😃 I do, really really love it.😉 I said inspired because the headline said inspired. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/57 "2012-09-22T03:04:55Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > I do, really really love it.😉 > I said inspired because the headline said inspired. Well, not in the headline, but okay it does mention that inside the story. But lighten up a little, as we have plenty of hotheads on the Board already. (I like the video too.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/58 "2012-09-22T03:18:34Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > The banner in the beginning is actually in English - it just says Gangnam Style. 🙂 The horse is also saying Oppa Gangnam Style. Thanks. The banner at the beginning is blurry, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. I suspected that might be what the horse was saying, but I’ll have to watch the video a lot more times before I can\* read \*Korean. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/59 "2012-09-22T03:25:19Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Well, not in the headline, but okay it does mention that inside the story. But lighten up a little, as we have plenty of hotheads on the Board already. > > (I like the video too.) :mad:I’m not a hothead:mad: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919/60 "2012-09-22T03:27:05Z")
That’s a right purty tongue you have, ma’am. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppa-gangnam-style-awesome-korean-music-video/630919.md?page=4)