It was not until Gangnam Style became a worldwide phenomenon, and PSY the face of the Korean music industry, that he was recognised and bestowed honours by the South Korean government – including being named an ambassador for South Korean tourism in 2013. But why was PSY a pariah of the Korean music industry for 11 years, until his unexpected international success in 2012? This dissertation examines the expectations of a K-pop idol and what they are trained to represent in both the South Korean and international landscape of celebrity culture. It will also underscore the intricate links between the global commercial success of K-pop and the political economy of culture .
Gangnam Style was a biting send-up of the hyper-materialism that had shaped Korean consciousness since the country successfully rebuilt itself after the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997. It was during this crisis, in 1998, that newly-elected South Korean President Kim Daejung put into action the push towards the country exporting culture along with its manufactured goods from the likes of companies like Samsung, Hyundai and LG. These measures paid off and the country, and particularly the Gangnam district of Seoul, experienced a massive upturn in wealth and international image. .
PSY's parody of the new materialism and the behaviour he saw around him was subtle and thus lost on the vast majority of listeners, particularly the new international fandom. Gangnam Style was the first, and possibly last, time that a South Korean popular artist has had such widespread success based on purely a combination of elements beyond their record label's control. The song was meant for the local market and a domestic audience that would pick up on its subtle satire while enjoying its infectious musical hooks. No one was more surprised at its spread worldwide than PSY himself. "Gangnam Style was not normal. Gangnam was not standard - that was an accident and accidents don't happen often," he said.
