Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
So as you’ve probably heard by now, Psy oppa went to Dodger Stadium yesterday as part of his tour of America with Scooter Braun or whatever the hell is going on with that.
I didn’t expect him to perform the song at the stadium or anything, but it was cool that he got the song played between innings and that he got face time on the Jumbotron.
Now while that’s cool (and he certainly deserves it), things like invitations to sporting events and face time on screens can be bought.
In my opinion, the real sign that people actually recognize and like him is the reaction of the crowd when he was shown, plus stuff like this:
Why? Because they are two regular sports fans, not into K-pop, but they know who Psy is. They liked “Gangnam Style” and think it’s cool, so they sought him out in the parking lot to take a picture with him.
Furthermore, it’s the first sighting of K-pop I’ve ever had invade my real life world Twitter feed, and better yet, people were re-tweeting it without remorse.
That’s legit market penetration, not the bought and paid for corporate fluff bullshit, and it was awesome to see.
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Related – I couldn’t help but LOL when I saw Soompi‘s title for the event: “PSY Visits Dodger Stadium in L.A., 50,000 Fans Greet Him”
As if 50k showed up to see him or something. Not to watch a baseball game. Not to watch the first place home team. Not to watch a bitter rivalry over a hundred years old. Not because those rivals are separated by a half game coming down the stretch. Nah, everybody was there just to blow him.
LULZ
Time is almost up for the Korean macarena
word. a viral video does not equate to US market penetration.
Maybe. But PSY has done more for the kpop genre internationally than any current kpop group has done in the last five years……..with half the effort.
Sure it does.
For that video and that artist it does.
While Gangnam Style is infinitely better than the lame macarena, that’s a pretty good characterization of it’s international appeal.
Still, I do think that a certain percentage of the people who saw Gangnam Style probably ended up clicking on the “related” YouTube K-pop videos and were introduced to the genre as a result. Many new K-pop fans were probably made as an indirect result of this video.
International success or not, Gangnam Style has been so overwhelmingly successful in Korea that I think Psy is basically set for life. He’ll always be able to sell out concerts just based off the popularity he has gained in the last month.
Why even bother busting your ass to gain success overseas when you’re basically already a god in Korea?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUFg7pyBP4
I’m not convinced he actually gives a shit about being mainstream in America. He just wants to ride the wave while it lasts and have fun with it. Like he has done with basically everything in his life.
I wonder if his carrer in the US will have some longevity to it, or it was just a one time thing. Making something equally amah-zing won’t exactly be the easiest of things and people tend to forget quickly.
Don’t forget you are talking about the one hit wonder of a genre that’s either unknown or shunned by the average person.
A one hit wonder such as Gangnam Style first of all triggers some people to look further into the Korean music scene.
It won’t give birth to die hard fans but most likely these people will stuck to certain entertainers/groups and in their own way promote them.
Success and flop depends from the angle we view the matter: East-Asia already has the reputation of being weird and the general public shows a certain racism. It’s unlikely a South Korean or Japanese entertainer will break into the music scene and stay relevant for a considerable time. ( note, Asian-Americans are a different question )
From another angle: the fact East-Asian acts perform sold out concerts across the globe is very impressive. Kpop has a stable and supportive fan base ( that isn’t completely filled with Asian-Americans, a good 50% is of other ethnics ) that increases in number as we speak.
One hit wonders such as Gangnam Style draw attention to Kpop and trigger some people to take a look into it of which some will eventually become fans ( not die hard ones, but still people who will attend concerts ).
I doubt Psy wants to succeed in the US – doubt YG has any plans either. 2NE1 is rather a case of Will.I.Am taking interest in them than YG pushing the group on the US market. The recent “hype” we see from YGE is more a case of cashing in as long as the people are insane for the horse dance. So in the end one can’t flop without really wanting to succeed.
Yet, Gangnam Style succeeded by making people aware of Kpop. Once upon a time anime and manga was a one hit wonder than disappeared however left a subculture behind who’s enthusiasm eventually lead to a “second coming” and hasn’t really flopped ever since. Sure, we don’t see the same cultural phenomena as in Japan but globally from magazines to anime music radio stations the subculture is there, living and demands a place where it sets ground.
Unlikely this will happen to Kpop but the global subculture around it will stay and keep the interest alive. That’s not exactly being unsuccessful. Companies simply should learn to market to the interested and not to people who don’t even know wtf is Kpop.
I’m kind of bothered that you keep referring to the song as a “one hit wonder.”
A one-hit wonder is a person/act known mainly for a single success; however, this is not the case for PSY. He just released his 6th album & has been fairly popular in Korea (& other parts of Asia) since early 2000. Yes, his past works were not as popular as “Gangnam Style,” but that doesn’t take away from his collection of work, or his longevity in the Korean music industry.
Because America has suddenly discovered him doesn’t mean he just became successful this second. He has been a noteworthy musician for years, & will probably continue to be.
There were some “one hit wonders” in the US but hugely popular in their home country
“One hit wonder” refers to his position in the US market.
I didn’t specifically highlighted this fact because I thought it’s kind of obvious…Why would I bring up his South Korean career when the comment I answered to discussed his longevity in the US market?
@Ana …
Even though the OP asked about PSY’s career in the USA, you never directly talked about America.
you never referenced the USA when you made your comment – other then the part about “I doubt Psy wants to succeed in the US.” which i totally agree with.
Your comments referenced the genre as a whole – “the one hit wonder of a genre that’s either unknown or shunned by the average person.” – w/o stating what country you were talking about.
One hit wonder in the USA for PSY? YES. For sure. But in Asia, most followers of k-pop have known of him for years.
Sadly, I do think people will forget about him.
Watch this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFmxgzPP3Q
Justin Bieber…A heavy Asian man singing songs that don’t even sound like pop resembles Justin Bieber…
What is this logic?
And “will you guys listen to more Kpop after this?” I can only imagine…
*Goes to look for MVs like Psy’s…Lands on Super Junior MV* scarred for life.
I don’t even think he cares about a US career.
maybe he’s not. but who knows what’s in papa yg’s mind.
PSY OPPA DAEBAK!! Take that SNSD,Wonder Girls,Rain,Se7en,etc…
anyway,why soompi is so stupid?this news is good,but they hype it too much :|
If you only knew how much the word “Daebak” pisses me off..
Thank you AKP for my hatred towards that word
Any korean word overused by koreaboos pisses the hell out of me >.<
oppa/unnie/saranghae/jjang/daebak…etc
Oppa & Unnie kills me too :hwaiting:
hahaha,actually i’m tired too with that word
Sorry guys,but AsianJunkie Hwaiting!!
Man Soompi *shakes head* They need to take a seat…
Anywho, that’s real exposure and promo (and a different way in doing so) that actually reached out to (maybe potential) non-Kpop fans.
oh soompi /facepalm
i wonder how long will gangnam style last though
I wonder if Soompi’s article is translated from a Korean one.
On a side note, I haven’t been to Dodgers stadium since I was 8 and now I’m feeling nostalgic/sad :( With all the bad blood and violence with the fans I still love the rivalry.
Dodgers/Giants rivalry is great, but the local LA gangs and thugs are what brings it down (ie the Brian Stow incident). But this is nothing compared to the NFL Raiders/Chargers fan brawls whenever they play.
At almost every baseball game I’ve been to, there was a fight in the crowd. Almost always between fans of the same team, too.
It’s really more about just having a bunch of drunken douchebags together in one spot than some contrived “rivalry”.
They’ve cleaned it up under new ownership. LAPD is all over that shit now.
Until Soompi cites their source for articles, I will continue to blame them since they’re basically claiming it as their own.
Not only did 50,000 fans greet him ~ you forgot to note that Soompi also added that he turned the whole stadium into ” a club scene “. Lol.
Allkpop makes shitty articles, soompi exaggerates like crazy. What good sites are there? I get all my news from forums and asianjunkie :P
This psy phenomenon is going to end and when it end people will never psy who? The Macarena lasted a year, and was still going after that. I don’t know about psy.
Koreaboo is slower but I liked the way they handled stuff like the Open World case.
They were much more in-depth than AKP/Soompi.
I used to hate them, sorta, but they’re growing on me.
Haha I just heard someone outside playing this song just now
I was reading some Youtube comments and this one person said Kpop is to simple for America, however it would be huge in 3rd world countries
I chuckled
I guffawed.
I bet kids in Uganda are two stepping to this shit. Who gives fuck about starvation its Gangnam style
Let me find out you’re cheering on Uganda in the Little League World Series….doing African chants and ish
I’m still loling at the fans who think “Gangnam Style” is a breakthrough for K-pop in the American market. Yeah because people who like “Gangnam Style” will be all over like.. NU’EST.
please.
I bet the Wonder Girls are crying themselves asleep in JYP bedroom saying…buh buh we did a song with Akon
They all need some JYJ styled slaps to the face
UNF!
But yeah, and then they go further to say “CHECK OUT THESE GROUPS- THEY’RE WAAAAAAAAAY MORE TALENTED THAN AMERICAN ARTISTS!!!”
-_-
No bitch.
That’s the whole point of TESTAMENTVM’s article too. If K-pop wants to conquer America, there need to be more artists like Psy, not more robotic idols.
Good ol’ soompi :)
on the other hand… IN YOUR FACE SM, IN YOUR FACE JYP , IN YOUR FACE YG -I’m pretty sure that he never considered Psy an american debut material-
If I could see william hung face seein how a Psy is popular. Priceless
I think that guy facial expression stays the same always
Some of them looked pretty uninterested, but PSY is so hilarious, you just can’t ignore him. If all the K-pop idols were like him, it’d be a crisis.
I don’t know – that Mexican guy sitting next to him seems to be doing a pretty good job of ignoring him.
Or he doesn’t know where he’s at
He didn’t have a fuck to give.
I would never do business with a guy named “Scooter”.
I like to say FUCK ALL YALL. The police just gave me a ticket for not wearing a seat belt…..What kind of shit is that?! What’s next, I’m going to get a ticket for not breathing every second
How the hell do you ride a car without wearing a seat belt? I’ve gotten so used to it it feels too uncomfortable to not put it on.
I just don’t like putting it on plus it makes me look so un-cool….girls don’t like un-cool
Yeah…and being dead is so cool =)
I love when guys put the seatbelt on. Takes them longer to escape.
You are an idiot.
Psy is a crowd pleaser.
I’m shocked to how many people were dancing to the song, because that requires them to have listened and watch the music video more then once, pretty great.
I’m seriously happy for this guy.
He didn’t have to appear on Letterman or have rappers in his MV, he just had to put a video on youtube. The rest is history…haha I bet lots of companies and Idols are pissed of at his success.
All that money that they’ve wastes on looks, trainers, PR, and here comes this short chubby looking guy and steals their thunder. Oh glory day lool.
Hi! I’m new here! ^o^
I just saw E!’s “Chelsea Lately” play Gangnam Style!!!
My face—> >o<!!! I was like, "I know that song!!!!"
Hello new person
Hi! ^o^
Well I’ve been looking at this site since January but I finally came to my senses and decided to register X)
The amount of cute smilies you use makes me think you’re gonna get mad at me at some point.
:o
@IATFB: Agree 100%
@new, innocent chick: I hope we are not responsible if you try to commit suicide from the sexiness overdose on here.
@IATFB: Me? Get mad at you at some point??? XD!!!!!! Nah!!! ^_^ This site either opens my eyes or makes me laugh. But rarely mad.
*Btw I almost always use smilies when typing!
@No_Min nah there’s not enough sexiness on this site for me. T_T
It’s pretty cool that a few non-Asian audience members were doing the horse riding dance. I think even if Psy doesn’t achieve long term success in the US, this has definitely raised awareness of K-Pop in general.
It’s only a matter of time before some perverts out there discover the glory of SNSD or Kara and spread it to everyone they meet.
I’m doing my part!
does this dance remind anyone else of grease hand jive scene
Psy doing the hitler salute while doing his orgasm face. That’s rather disturbing.
I thought I was the only one who notice the Hitler salute
In Germany, everything looks like a Hitler salute. We were trained in school to be paranoid.
Does everyone drive BMW’s & Mercedes in Germany
Lots of people do, yes. But not all of us since we have a variety of cool brands – like Volkswagen, Audi (Lamborghini belongs to them as well – but unfortunately you only see those rarely), Porsche and Opel.
Our cabs are mostly Mercedes. Also lots of busses and police cars.
But the best german invention is still Jägermeister.
I love how sm idols make the “I am” movie cause
they “filled” madison square garden but psy didn’t even try and he’s getting more attention then any of them had or will. He should make “I actually was”,,, slap those bitches in the face.
Happy for him