OPPA GANGNAM STYLE PHENOMENON: DANCE CRAZE, IMAGES, AND THE

RECEPTION OF THE PHILIPPINE AUDIENCE

By Perry Neslynn H. Duran

Research Background

Korean singer PSY released his single Oppa Gangnam Style on YouTube. Garnering

more than 400 million views and continuously escalating, his song became a global phenomenon

because of various acknowledgements it received from audiences from different parts of the

world. Its unsuspected popularity has been the buzz in the internet world because of its nature, a

KPOP song that was able to penetrate the American market through its catchy tune and signature

dance moves, in just a few days after its official release. It even managed to beat other social

media giants like Justin Bieber.[1] In the Philippines, it was able to appeal to the taste of the

Filipino audience when it became viral in YouTube and other social media sites such as

Facebook and Twitter. Its popular dance move, the ‘Horse Dance’, was even danced by Vice

Ganda during an airing of the television show “Showtime” and also by Michael V of “Eat

Bulaga”. Having said these, this study aims to look into how PSY’s song Oppa Gangnam style

has become a global phenomenon. An exploration of its elements as well as how it was

perceived by its audience would be studied. Also, how has this phenomenon been affecting the

Filipino audience in terms of popular music?

Popular Music

“Popular music has been the soundtrack to our lives: we can hear it on the radio, on

our CD player, on the tape in our Walkman, piped into shops, and during television

adverts and programmes.”

-Tim Wall

If asked to define what popular music is, an average person might think of its literal

definition- a song that is popular. However, we know that popular music is more than being

popular. It has a wide range that covers many aspects on how people consume and appreciate

music. Popular music has been a label ever since the establishment of what we call the music

industry. Nevertheless, just as how we’ve mentioned that it covers a wide range of how people

consume music, we can see that it manifests on the cultural aspect of the society. As how Tim

Wall emphasized in his book, “Studying Popular Music Culture: Studying the Media”, what

constitute popular music culture are the relationships between the music, the industry, and its

consumers.

When we look into what popular music is, we usually pertain to the mainstream songs

we hear on the radio and see on television. However, because of the advancement in technology

and the rise of the internet as means for people to communicate with one another as long as they

have with them a gadget that connects them to the World Wide Web, sharing of music has never

been this much easier. Still, not all songs being produced are able to pass and be labelled as

popular music.

Just as how problematic defining what popular music is, we can use Wall’s observation

of popular music through his use of the three senses of what ‘popular’ is. According to him,
popular music is associated with the music that sells the most CDs and stars that have large

number of followers or fans. To others, the poorest type of ‘dumb-down’ music that is easy to

listen to and enjoyed by people who know little about, or do not appreciate more complex music.

And lastly, as seen in very positive terms, popular music as any type of music made and enjoyed

by a particular scene as a way of celebrating its distinctive identity. This shows different

viewpoints that showcase pros and cons of popular music. However, we first have to

acknowledge first that popular music is music first before it becomes popular and thus for a song

to make an impact in the popular music culture, it first has to be acknowledged by a greater

audience.

To say and assume that popular music always has this definite characteristic of appealing

to the taste of the audience would be a misconception. In the case of the popularity and hype of

Rebecca Black’s song “Friday”, it became so popular because of the numerous hates it received

worldwide through the internet. As written by Matthew Perpetua about the song, “When you see

this video, you immediately notice everything that it does "wrong," but it actually gets a lot of

things about pop music right, if just by accident.” So what does popular music has that greatly

affects its well-being? It is the relevant factor of the audience’s reception.

In Theodor Adorno’s article entitled “On Popular Music”, the characterization of popular

music has been derived from its differences from serious music and he defined these using two

spheres which are the musical aspect and the social aspect. He used the method of involving the

historical analysis of the division as it occurred in music production and of the roots of these two

main spheres. According to him, a popular characteristic of popular music is standardization. Its

standardized rhythm, lyrics and other elements give its audience an easier access to consume the

music.
 However, a capacity of a song to be popular still lies to the reception of its audience. As

he mentioned in his article, popular music becomes a multi-choice questionnaire. The listener

has the ability to choose and this is where he continues on in explaining his theory about the

listener and on how popular music maintains its hold on the masses. He said that the ability of

popular music to reinforce distraction and inattention to its audience is a stimulant that attracts its

audience to consume the product. Based on these characteristics, the consumption of the

audience is patterned and pre-digested.

In PSY’s Oppa Gangnam Style, its sudden popularity and the impact it made in

penetrating a global market leads to a question on how did this Korean song, that is different

from the usual Kpop songs, is able to make it big, especially in US, and we can see here that it is

because it appealed to the audience. It’s interesting to look at how this song is able to grab a hold

on to the attention of its global audience given that it’s a song that uses very little English words

thus a look through the reception of its audience is an important factor that contributes to it being

a popular music.

Who is Psy?

PSY is a Korean singer whose real name is Park Jae Sung. A graduate from Boston

University and Berklee School of Music, he’s been in the Korean music industry since February

2001 when he first released his album entitled “PSY… From The Psycho World!” with Bird as

his debut song. However, because of complaints it received from civic groups, five months after

its release, it was labelled as having ‘inappropriate content’ and was banned to be sold to minors.

PSY also had to pay due fines because of these accusations.

 His second album entitled “Ssa 2” was released a year after and on the same month that it

was released, it was also banned from being sold to audience below 19. The release of this

album was also opposed by various civic groups because according to them, his songs can

potentially have a negative influence on the younger generation. Since then, he has been known

to be a controversial artist. Because of his blunt lyrics, peculiar dance moves and his

unconventional appearance, he was nicknamed as the “Bizarre singer”. [2]

September that year,

he released his third album on the internet and due to the popularity of the World Cup games

held in Seoul, his song “Champion” became a great success.

In 2010, PSY became an artist under YG Entertainment when his previous agency faced

financial struggle. October that year, he made a comeback in spite of the growing popularity of

the ‘idol craze’. Amidst the popularity of sexy idols in Korea, for PSY, he had embraced the fact

that he was nowhere close to idol status.[3] However, when he released his 6th album entitled

“PSY’s Best 6th Part 1” in 2012 with his music video “Oppa Gangnam Style”, he instantly

became popular internationally and was even successful in penetrating the American market, a

venture that is often unsuccessful for most Kpop artists.

Aside from being a singer-songwriter, PSY is also a model, rapper, dance musician and

record producer. He is known for his humorous videos, stage performances, and direct lyrics. In

an interview with Jae-Ha Kim, a syndicate columnist for Tribune Media Services, by Jeff Yang

in his article “Gangnam Style’s U.S. Popularity Has Koreans Puzzled, Gratified”, she said that

PSY is not like the usual guys in K-pop bands.

“He’s not squeaky clean like a lot of the guys in K-pop bands. He was busted for pot,

and he was ousted for trying to get out of serving mandatory military duty, which
 caused a huge stink in Korea. But he knows how to rap and he just oozes attitude.

There’s a reason why 30,000 fans show up at his concerts in Korea. I honestly can’t

think of anyone in the U.S. who’s like him.”

According to Jeff Yang, PSY belongs to an established genre of entertainers that were

dubbed as “gwang-dae”. In an interview with chief evangelist for Soompi.com Susan Kang, she

mentioned that these artists are more clown-like and their songs are either very humorous or can

sound serious but with silly lyrics. They are very popular in Korea but, unlike the sexy idols,

they don’t sell a lot of records and are seen as musical comedians rather than an actual pop act.

However, aside from being looked at as jester-like to the public, the original “gwang-dae”is said

to have the permission and the ability to criticise the aristocracy. They offer a satirical

commentary on society through their dance, music and repartee, a characteristic that is very

visible in PSY’s music video of Oppa Gangnam Style.[4]

After the release of Oppa Gangnam Style in YouTube, PSY became an international artist

overnight after beating other Western artists like Justin Bieber and Katy Perry when it ranked

number one on iTunes. He was even offered to sign a record under Justin Bieber’s manager

Scooter Braun which he gladly accepted.

Oppa Gangnam Style

The song Oppa Gangnam Style is a Korean upbeat song that features an electro house

type of music. It follows the usual pattern of melodic repetition wherein there is a verse that is

often followed by chorus. Like other songs, Oppa Gangnam Style has the typical structure of
chorus being as its ‘hook’ or strongest point as a song.[5] It, also, has a standardized pattern and

groovy characteristic that strengthens its ability to draw attention from its listener.

For someone who is not familiar with Korean language, it is very noticeable that the

words that are only understandable are very few like the often repeated ‘sexy lady’ in the chorus

part and ‘you know what I’m saying’ which is mentioned once on the latter part of the song.

However, the most attention catching part of it was PSY’s repetition of ‘Oppa Gangnam Style’.

For those who watch Korean dramas or familiar with the Korean Wave, the word ‘oppa’ may

somehow ring a bell because this is what Korean girls call their older brothers and older male

friends. However, this term is not only limited by blood-relation or portrayal of respect. In Korea,

boys love being called ‘oppa’ by girls because it is often used as a cute and affectionate term that

nowadays is being used by girls to refer to their boyfriends. [6]

When you ask a foreigner what is Gangnam before the hype of the Oppa Gangnam Style,

a very few, probably only those who are Kpop fans or familiar with Korean culture, will be able

to answer this question because the term is mostly familiar only to the South Korean culture. It

refers to a district in Korea, located at the south of the Han River, wherein people are known for

their upscale fashion and lavish lifestyle. According to an article by allkpop.com, this region is

said to be compared to the Beverly Hills of California and New York City’s trendy Midtown

because of its high-end shops, restaurants and other entertainment means. This once farmland

during the 1960’s was developed and now turned into a bustling city and for the Koreans, this is

a place for the elite and the rich.

In the lyrics of Oppa Gangnam Style, one can see how well-versed and eloquent are the

words used by PSY in conveying a message about a man who desires a woman. A man who is
different from the woman he desires but still willingly pursues her is a theme clearly visible in

the lyrics of the song. However, the constant repetition of the words Oppa Gangnam Style brings

a very important aspect of it that relates it to the lifestyle seen in the Gangnam district of Korea.

Oppa is Kangnam Style

A girl who’s warm and ladylike by day / who’s classy enough to freely enjoy a cup of

coffee

But whose heart heats up when night falls

I’m a man / A gentleman when I’m with you by day / A man who takes his coffee in one

shot while it’s still hot / A man whose heart bursts when night falls

A girl who seems shy but knows how to play/ A girl who knows how to let her hair down

A girl who covers up, and is sexier than one who bares it all/ That kind of sensual girl

I’m a man who seems refined but knows how to play/ A man who completely loose when

the time is right/ A man whose ideas bulge more than his muscles/ That kind of man 7

The lyrics mentioned above are some of the translated excerpts from PSY’s song. In an article by

Fisher, he mentioned how lifestyle in Gangnam is a symbol of materialism in South Korean

culture. He described the neighbourhood as the home of South Korea’s biggest brands, as well as

$84 billion of its wealth thus comprising 7% of the entire country’s GDP in just a 15 square mile

area. Truly a place of the most conspicuous consumption, Fisher continues on describing that

what PSY mentioned in his song about a girl who drinks coffee doesn’t pertain to her drinking an

ordinary coffee. Fisher refers to these women as the ‘soybean paste women’ who would spend

only 2,000 won on lunch and then splurge on a 6,000 won cup of Starbucks coffee when she
goes out with her ladies. Men, in turn, display a similar trait by showing how elite, eligible, and

wealthy they are with their designer suits, clubbing, and spa habits. A lifestyle that projects an

opulent life but on a closer observation reveals a deeper meaning and outlook that is usually not

pondered upon.

Combined with the music video, PSY’s Oppa Gangnam Style becomes an elegant and

eye-catching manifestation of the satirical portrayal of this aspect of South Korean culture. As

what Fisher said in his article,

“Psy hits all the symbols of Gangnam opulence, but each turns out to be something

much more modest, as if suggesting that Gangnam-style wealth is not as fabulous as it

might seem.”

In the opening scene of PSY’s music video of Oppa Gangnam Style, the audience would

seem to think that PSY is at the beach being fanned by a gorgeous woman just to be revealed that

he was on a children’s playground. The next shot shows a scene with him in a horses stable,

emphasizing how only rich people can afford horses, and all that’s left to do for those beyond

capacity are to dance as if they rode one. The next scene shows him walking like a hall of famer

with two ladies on his side and with what seem like confetti being showered to them, only to

reveal that these are newspapers and snow-like material. He is also shown at a sauna bath but his

companions are not actually gentlemen, but mobsters and he dances on somewhat a disco-like

place just to be revealed that it’s on a bus filled with middle-aged women. For a music video that

tackles about the Gangnam lifestyle, it features other shots in unlikely places like the merry-go-

round, a public bath, a park where young women do their yoga, parking lots for a dance

showdown, an elevator, a subway to meet your love interest and even a toilet.
 In this video, PSY also collaborated with some famous artists with their cameo roles for

his music video. He worked with Hyuna, a member of 4minute that played as his love interest.

Also, BigBang members Daesung and Seungri who played as the two old men who were playing

a board game in the park and later on featured as the two men flying after the explosion. Hwang

Min-woo, the dancing 5 year old boy who was featured in Korea’s Got Talent, as the boy who

was wildly dancing at the beginning of the video. And, the comedians Yoo Jae-Suk and No

Hongchul, the former as the one who did a dance battle with PSY and the latter who danced in

the elevator with his trademark pelvis-thrusting with PSY underneath him.

Another famous trademark of Oppa Gangnam Style, is its characteristic as an upbeat song

with a catchy tune and a signature dance move. In the video, PSY and his dancers would

frequently be seen doing this “horse-riding dance” or popularly known as the horse dance. It

combines the stylistic elements of shuffling dancing and hand movements resembling the posture
[8]
of a horseback rider. At first glance, it looks very silly and nerve-wracking. However, when

tried, it takes a lot of effort to be able to achieve the same performance performed by PSY and

his dancers on the video. It became so famous that the whole song of Oppa Gangnam Style

became a popular dance song covered by various dance groups who uploaded their performances

in YouTube. It also became popular as an exercise song for its choreography and upbeat tunes

that is adapted by dance centres, fitness clubs, Zumba instructors, flash mobs locally and

worldwide, as well as personal at-home fitness video instructors. [9]

The Reception of the Audience

Even before the popularity of Oppa Gangnam Style in the international market, it was

widely known in Korea. It already received 500,000 views on the day it was released.[10] It also

ranked number 1 on the Gaon Chart, the national record chart of South Korea.[11] On its first

month, it became the number three most watched music video on YouTube and on August 14, it

ranked first in YouTube’s Most Viewed Video monthly chart with 393 million views.

It became internationally popular when numerous celebrities like T-Pain, Katy Perry,

Britney Spears and Josh Groban shared and tweeted PSY’s music video on tweeter. [12]
By the

first week of August, it became a viral YouTube sensation and also, major US news outlets like

CNN, ABC News and The Wall Street Journal, further raised its popularity internationally. Also,

the song chorus of the song became an in-joke among English-speaking audience because of its

misheard lyrics that were heard as “Open Condom Style” or “Open Gundam Style”. [13]

On August 21, it officially charted as number one on the iTunes Music Video Charts

overtaking Justin Bieber's "As Long as You Love Me" and Katy Perry's "Wide Awake", a first
[14]
for any South Korean artist. After his popularity in the international scene, he was often

featured in CNN and was even interviewed for the first time in USA on August 2, 2012. He

received various invitations to appear on shows abroad like The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The

Today Show and Saturday Night Live. He also appeared in the MTV Video Music Awards 2012

as a surprise guest and was even able to teach Britney Spears in person the famous Horse Dance

move when he guested in Ellen DeGeneres Show.

His popularity was also well-received by the international audience. In YouTube, various

covers from different audience from different countries appeared parodying PSY’s music video
of Oppa Gangnam Style. Some of which were even reaching million views just from doing a

cover of the song. If you search the song in the search engine of YouTube, 16,000 plus results

will appear varying from music video covers, dance covers, song covers, and even video

commentaries. However, although it has largely received positive reactions, some have found it

wacky or even vulgar. [15]

In an article by Matt Buchanan and Scott Ellis entitled “Hit Video

May Have a Subversive Message”, it was described as an almost Dada-esque series of vignettes

that make no sense at all to most Western eyes and added that it “generally makes you wonder if

you have accidentally taken someone else's medication”.

In the Philippines, it was able to appeal to the taste of the Filipino audience when it

became viral in YouTube and other social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. While its

popularity in the US was being at its peak, the song was a huge buzz to the internet world and

those who have access to the internet are the ones who were able to get familiarize with the song

first. It was introduced publicly to the Filipino audience when Vice Ganda of Showtime and

Michael V of Eat Bulaga, both from noontime shows from different networks, made and danced

their own version at their respective television shows. Since then, the popularity of Oppa

Gangnam Style slowly crept in the Philippine music industry. It was able to notch a rank in the

top 5 of MYX music charts namely the MYX International top 10 and MYX Hit Chart and, also,

other local radio stations. [16]

Cover videos made by Filipino audiences are also all-over YouTube. The most popular

among them so far was the cover made by Boggart the Explorer of Davao with 1 million plus

views.[17] Different renditions were also made by different audiences from different parts of the

country. There is the “Di Mabang-Bang Style”, a Bisaya rendition of the Oppa Gangnam Style

made by the Youtube user named centerpointband and other covers by other users indicating
local regions they represent. The famous Dancing Inmates of Cebu also made their own dance

cover of the song. Other celebrities also made their own versions like the parody music video

made by Eric Tai or popularly known as ‘Eruption’ in Philippine Television who also features

with him various Philippine celebrities like Anne Curtis, Billy Crawford and other Filipino artists.

Even foreign artists like Nelly Furtado and the Maroon 5 incorporated the Oppa Gangnam in

their concert in the Philippines which was well-received by their audiences. Truly, in the

Philippines, the Oppa Gangnam Style was able to become known and be popular to the Filipino

audience; however, not all have a positive outlook on its stardom.

In an interview with Nicole Rivera, a Filipino student, a current blogger and a former

news writer for three website namely Soompi, Omgkpop, and Kpop Nation, when asked if she

liked the song, she answered no because the music itself does not appeal to her taste. According

to her, the song Oppa Gangnam Style sounded almost the same with his previous singles that is

not new especially to her who is familiar with Kpop thus it was a surprise for her that it became

an international phenomenon. However, she continued on to share her insight about the

popularity of Gangnam Style in the US wherein its popularity can be connected because of the

shift in taste of the American audience. The flock of Korean sexy idols in America became a

common trend that somehow diminishes the interest of the American audience to Kpop artists.

However, in PSY’s Oppa Gangnam Style music video, its difference with the usual Kpop routine

brought an interest to them that enabled PSY to make it big and penetrate not just the American

market but also other markets such as Europe and other Asian countries.

According to Robin Rivera, a professor of the Department of Art Studies, University of

the Philippines who specializes in popular art, sound studies and music recording and production,

he saw the popularity of Oppa Gangnam Style as a fad that would come to pass just like the other
popular songs that were able to appeal to the masses. He said that Oppa Gangnam does have a

catchy tune and humoristic video that draws its audience to watch it and share the fun to others.

However, the mark it would live as a phenomenon is that when people backtrack to the

happenings of the year 2012, they would be reminded of the Oppa Gangnam Phenomenon. In a

way, this can be seen as a historical marker for Kpop in terms of its international standing.

On a side note, three Filipino Kpop fans shed a different outlook regarding the Gangnam

Style phenomenon and on how the public was receiving it. In an interview with HallyUP

members Elle, Jay and Rielle, they said that the popularity of the Oppa Gangnam Style somehow
[18]
gives a negative effect on Kpop. According to Elle, though they like that PSY is being

popular as a Korean artist and was well received by the audience, they are worried about the

image of Kpop that is being conveyed especially to the audience who are not very familiar with

Kpop. He also added that unlike other local artists whose novelty songs are able to appeal to the

mass because of their kitschy lyrics and dance moves, PSY should not be levelled to them

because his songs contain artistry and message that conveys a mockery to the elite and social

class. Also, Rielle commented that Kpop should not be generalized through the song Gangnam

Style because Kpop refers to a variety of genres. For her, because of the Gangnam Style

phenomenon, the concept of Kpop is being parodied which is a disappointing result of its

popularity. When asked if their organization, HallyUP, share the same insight regarding the

negative effect of Gangnam Style to the international scene, they all agree with this stand and

even share that they had talked about it in their organization. For them, the Oppa Gangnam Style

phenomenon has a negative effect in terms of how the international public respond to it because

people see it as comedic only. It’s disappointing for them to see people look only to it as a funny

music video with funny dance moves overlooking the underlying message it truly conveys.
Conclusion

Upon studying the elements of the song and the music video of Oppa Gangnam Style, its

highly addictive beats, catchy melody and rhythm, alongside a visually enticing music video and

the made-famous invisible horse dance display the unconventional approach of PSY as the usual

Kpop artist known globally.

If we will compare Oppa Gangnam Style with other songs, we can say that just like other

songs it follows the common structure and standardized form that makes a song attractive to a

listener. With normal lyrics and upbeat tune, it indicates a positive and groovy mood that makes

it easy to listen to and recall. However, upon the combination of it with its music video, it

became a perfect satirical video that is full of symbolisms that pertain and somehow attack not

just the lifestyle of people residing in Gangnam but also the aspect of materialism of the South

Korean culture. PSY’s unconventional approach as a music artist may have been known to Korea

ever since his start in the music industry, however, in Oppa Gangnam Style, he was able to

greatly draw the audience because of the humoristic factor that is very prominent in the music

video.

In the continuing spread of the Korean popular culture globally, we can see that the

impact of Oppa Gangnam Style is a phenomenal event because it was able to break the trend of

Kpop known internationally. According to Abigail Laurel, what made Kpop successful in

penetrating other cultures were its attractive celebrities, impressive presentation, quality of

technology and lack of profanity and sex. This has become an industry that is known for its

finely tuned, precision machined performers that represent the pinnacle of technology in a
[19]
market that has transformed the crafting of bubblegum idols into a wildly lucrative media. In
Gangnam Style, it shifted and violated Laurel’s description of Kpop in the international scene

where singers have to be good looking and classy. PSY, a 34 year old, makes a parody music

video on the lifestyle of the Gangnam district which is not your usual Kpop music that is levelled

with the songs of DBSK or Big Bang or Super Junior. However, its uniqueness in the

international scene made it something new for the audience to see that clearly became its

strength as a Kpop music. The unexpected response it got from the international audience made

it a phenomenal popular music.

The fact that Gangnam Style was able to penetrate the American market boosted its

popularity. In a society that has this ‘hopelessly commercial culture’ that pertains to mass

production for the sake of mass consumption culture itself can be formulaic or manipulative.
[20]
However, the Oppa Gangnam Style is one of those rare phenomena wherein its popularity

cannot be pre-determined. It is just interesting to point out how huge the role of the technology,

particularly the internet, is in contributing to this kind of event.

In the Philippine setting, the popularity of Oppa Gangnam can also be felt through its

presence in radios, televisions, and in the internet. Given that Philippines is among the countries

most influenced by the Korean Wave because of the influx of Korean dramas and Kpop artists in

the country, the song Oppa Gangnam Style is becoming a hit. However, though it may be

spreading the popularity of Kpop in the country and familiarizing the Filipino people with

Korean culture, it offers an outlook that has the possibility of offering an image on Kpop as

something that is comedic. Nevertheless, this phenomenon marks another step closer of world-

domination for Kpop.

Notes

1. Benny Luo. Updated: Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ Becomes The 5th “Most Viral Video” Of All Time.

2. KBS World. Discography.

3. Last.fm. Discography.

4. Jeff Yang. Gangnam Style’s U.S. Popularity Has Koreans Puzzled, Gratified.

5. Hook is pertained to be the stronger melodic element of a song because of its longer duration

compare to other parts of a song.

6. Cute Korea blog by net-user Elle. http://cuteinkorea.com/oppan-gangnam-style/

7. Translation from Viki.com. Gangnam Style.

8. Know Your Meme. Gangnam Style.

9. Heidi Pashman. Fitness Gurus Everywhere Gang Up for Gangnam Style.

10. Kevin Alocca. 'Gangnam Style' is Your International Hit of the Month.

11. "South Korean Gaon Chart – Week: July 15, 2012 to July 21, 2012" (in Korean). Gaon Chart.

12. Benny Luo. Updated: Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ Becomes The 5th “Most Viral Video” Of All Time.

13. Know Your Meme. Gangnam Style.

14. Jaeyeon Woo (21 August 2012). "Baseball Goes Gangnam Style".

15. "Justin Bieber to record US version of Psy's "Gangnam Style"?". Channel NewsAsia (MediaCorp

Interactive). 2012-08-14. "While the music video has been viewed over 28 million times on video

sharing site YouTube, and has been praised for its catchy rhythm as well as its wacky 'horse

dance', not everyone is impressed – his detractors have labelled his music vulgar."

16. MYX is a music cable channel in the Philippines under Creative Programs Inc., a subsidiary of

the ABS-CBN network channel.

17. Marco Ho, or famously known as Boggart the Explorer, is a famous Filipino YouTube star

known for his parody of the late wildlife expert Steve Irwin. He is known for his videos wherein

he studies the Philippine urban jungle. The Awesomer.

 18. HallyUP /hal-lyu-pi/ is a non-sectarian, non-profit, socio-cultural, special interest organization in

the University of the Philippines, Diliman. It was founded by a group of students with their

passion for the Korean pop culture.

19. Jeff Yang. Gangnam Style’s U.S. Popularity Has Koreans Puzzled, Gratified.

20. John Storey quoted in the book “Studying Popular Music” by Tim Walls.

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