Gangnam Style

Korean culture is all about presenting an image of wealth.  Where you live, where you shop, what you buy, what you drive, what you wear, where you’re seen.  I don’t live in the Gangnam, perhaps the ritziest area of Seoul, but my neighborhood, Mokdong, is quite affluent itself. It is home to the 69-story Hyperion Tower, the second tallest building in Seoul and one of the tallest residential buildings in the world, according to good old Wikipedia.  The figures I heard for monthly rent blew. my. mind.

Anyways, rich or not, Koreans take a lot of pride in their image.  And appearing wealthy is far more important than actually being wealthy. Even if it’s a hideous designer bag, it’s all about the label.  Plastic surgery to achieve double eyelids and pointier noses is practically a routine procedure that many girls get upon turning 18.

When I found out that many Koreans live deep in credit card debt, I was not too surprised.  Adults average five credit cards. Credit card debt is 155% of disposable income (138% in the US). Due to Seoul’s incredible economic growth in the 1990s borrowing on credit seemed relatively safe. A few years later the government encouraged spending to lift Korea out of the Asian financial crisis. There are many wealthy Seoulites, but I wonder if I should be concerned about a bursting bubble…

Oppa is Gangnam Style.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me introduce you to the K-pop hit “Gangnam Style” by PSY.  Every Korean knows the song and dance.  I occasionally even hear the youngest of kindergarteners mumbling the words, even though it’s not age-appropriate. The first time I experienced this music video, back in the US, I could hardly believe people genuinely listened to the song, granted it is incredibly catchy.  You can’t go to a club and not hear it at least once or seven times.  Ridiculousness and all, “Gangnam Style” has taken over Korea and is topping American charts…and I think Koreans are taking pride in its international success.  The music video features lavish displays wealth.  It embodies the Korean mentality of appearing rich.  You really must see it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

It took help for me to realize the undertones in this song.  Though it may not be blaringly obvious considering the language barrier, it is actually satiric in nature and gently pokes fun at the materialistic side of Korean culture.  PSY acknowledges the absurd lengths people go to for appearance.  While Korean pop tends to be relatively tame, “Gangnam Style” is a subtle challenge of contemporary Korean class structure.

Gotta know more about “Gangnam Style” and debt?

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/gangnam-style-dissected-the-subversive-message-within-south-koreas-music-video-sensation/261462/