Another global hit hinges on dance and music video that will air Saturday night
By Park Si-soo
Pop star Psy will perform his highly anticipated new song “Gentleman” for the first time during his concert at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul, Saturday evening.
After the techno beat audio was released a day earlier through major music-trading websites such as iTunes, Psy fans around the world are expected to watch the 36-year-old’s unveil the dance moves and music video for the new song during his Happening concert, which will be streamed live on YouTube starting from 6:30 p.m. (Korea time).
Gentleman was co-produced by Psy and renowned songwriter Yoo Gun-hyung, who also created “Gangnam Style.” The choreography is by Lee Joo-sun.
Music critics and entertainment industry insiders are waiting avidly to first see the dance routines and the music video because they are considered “crucial” to retaining Psy’s international status.
“Gangnam Style was a good song by itself. But its popularity wouldn’t have grown that much without the signature horse-riding dance and the comical music video,” said music critic Kim Hyung-suk.
Psy’s meteoric rise was largely propelled by numerous parodies of “Gangnam Style” on YouTube by diverse groups inspired to perform and show their own version of the horse-riding dance.
Perhaps that’s why Psy’ and his management agency took so long and great care to create a new dance and music video they hope will also appeal universally. His manager Hwang Kyu-hwan admitted Psy was “under pressure” to produce a song that could again capture the world’s imagination with an accompanying easy-to-imitate dance move.
Psy has promised a “Psy-style” take on a traditional Korean dance for the new “Gentleman” video. He said last week on a TV program, “All Koreans know this dance but other countries haven't seen it.”
A YG Entertainment official familiar with the matter said that the two-day shoot for the music video ended on Tuesday, then underwent final editing.
“We are doing everything secretly to prevent any leak ahead of the concert,” the official said.
All that is known to the public is that it employs some moves shown in singer Park Jin-young’s “She Was Pretty” clip.
Another official was quoted as saying that the new dance is a mix of three different types of dances ㅡ horse-riding, waving while hip-shaking and another one that looks “weird.”
“Psy appears gentle in the beginning (of the clip), but will shatter that image with ‘ungentle’ dance moves, which is the key concept of the video,” the official said.
The music video was directed by Cho Soo-hyun, who earned fame for producing “Gangnam Style,” the most-watched YouTube video of all time with more than 1.5 billion views.
The clip was shot in various locations throughout Seoul, including Haengdang Elementary School, an unidentified hotel in Samseong-dong, the Seoul Metropolitan Library and Mapo Bridge, from April 7 to 9, according to the management agency.
All seven cast members of the popular reality entertainment TV show “Infinite Challenge,” including Yoo Jae-seok and No Hong-chul, appear in the video. Yoo and No were also featured in “Gangnam Style.” Also featured are Gain of the girl group Brown-eyed Girls.
“The basic concept is comical,” an YG spokesman said.
Major media outlets around the world, including CNN, TIME, Reuters and Telegraph, reacted quickly soon after Psy released the song online. They churned out stories regarding the new catchy tune “infused with his signature self-mocking humor,” AFP wrote.
It’s unprecedented for the release of a Korean singer’s new album to receive such huge global attention.
The lyrics of the song include, “Let me tell you about myself. I'm such a charmer with guts, vigor and humor”. The refrain is, “I'm a mother, father, gentleman.”
The song ㅡ a satire of a self-proclaimed "gentleman" trying to woo women at a party ㅡ contains more English lyrics than "Gangnam Style" in a clear nod to the singer's newfound global audience.