Psy Once Took Over The World With His Song “Gangnam Style,” But The Success Of It Ended Up “Haunting” Him
Psy‘s “Gangnam Style” (2012) is the introductory video of most of the world to the Korean entertainment industry. With over 4.6 billion views on YouTube, it is the most viewed K-Pop music video of all time.
It was the first video of all time to reach one billion views on YouTube. As further evidence of its success, the “horse dance” point choreography became a famous challenge that people from all ends of the globe took on.
Contrary to what the public may suspect, however, the success that Psy experienced was not all that it was cranked up to be. He told the New York Times in a recent interview that “the song’s success haunted him.” The comedic three-minute release may have given him the opportunity to meet other A-list celebrities, perform on a world stage, be known by billions of people, and more, but it also took away his sense of ease.
It had the adverse effect of pressuring him to produce yet another hit so that he would not be considered a “one hit wonder.”
Ten years since “Gangnam Style” went live, he is still feeling immense pressure to compose yet another equally famous track. Though “Gentleman” (2013) raked in 1.5 billion views and “Daddy” (2015) hit close to 700 million views, he is still not satisfied. The veteran singer often has a recurring thought that bothers him.
Let’s make just one more.
— Psy
Psy added that he still “does not know, to this day” why “Gangnam Style” in particular—a comedic and satirical track not unlike like his previous works—was the one that sprouted wings.
The songs are written by the same person, the dance moves are by the same person and they’re performed by the same person. Everything’s the same, but what was so special about that one song?
— Psy
Because of this, he cannot bring himself to take a break. He admitted to the magazine at the start of the interview that he was hungover from a night of drinking despite it being a Thursday afternoon. This was not the first time he worked in this state, he said, doing it often enough that he knows that he produces better songs when tired.
Fortunately, not everything in Psy’s life is negative. He recently made a comeback with “That That” (produced by & featuring BTS‘s Suga) which received rave reviews from listeners. He also returned to performing at university festivals, impressing thousands with his legendary fun stages.
Most importantly, Psy is trying to keep a positive mindset. He concluded, “If another good song comes along and if that thing happens again, great. If not, so be it. For now, I’ll do what I do in my rightful place.”
