'Gangnam Style' star PSY meets BTS' Suga in new release 'That That'

Singer PSY poses during a press conference at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of P NATION

By Dong Sun-hwa

Two K-pop superstars ― PSY and BTS' Suga ― have joined hands to take the music scene by storm.

PSY, who was propelled to global stardom with his 2012 hit "Gangnam Style," has collaborated with the BTS rapper to drop "That That," the lead single of his ninth full-length album, "PSY 9th." The album came out Friday afternoon, about five years after the release of his eighth studio album, "4X2=8," in 2017.

"Suga got hold of me last autumn, saying he produced a song that fitted me well," PSY said during a press conference at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, Friday. "I fell in love with the track as soon as I heard it. Back then, I was looking for a Latin-infused song like 'That That' instead of an EDM-based dance track, so that I could showcase something new to people."

Suga not only produced "That That," but is also featured in the track and appears in its music video.

PSY, left, and BTS' Suga have collaborated for PSY's new song, "That That." Courtesy of P NATION

"Suga dedicated so much time and effort to bring 'That That' to life," PSY revealed. "When we were shooting a music video in Incheon in March, it was very cold and windy, but he still strived to film the best scenes. Thanks to this collaboration, I could walk down memory lane as well. Seeing how passionate he was and how much he loved music, I naturally recalled my bygone days and pushed myself to work hard like I did in the past."

Suga is not the only big-name star who has teamed up with PSY this time. MAMAMOO's Hwasa, rapper Jessi and soloist Crush are also featured on the singer's new album, which offers 12 tunes of various genres.

"The best thing was that I could work and interact with younger singers with great musical prowess," said the 44-year-singer, whose career spans more than two decades. "Although we had a pretty big age gap, we still managed to work in harmony and create great synergy. I believe a singer like me should be wary of going old school and resting on my laurels, and one way to prevent this is to partner with younger musicians, who can share their energy and vibe with me."

Although PSY thought releasing digital singles was a better way to promote his songs, he still chose to put out a studio album this time, believing that someone should "defy the digital trend."

"I think I am a bridge connecting veteran and younger singers," he said. "So I thought I had to release a physical album with a CD, even though this may not be the smartest way to promote my music."

About his future plan, Psy said he is planning to create some content introducing lesser-known singers in Korea.

"Although K-pop is hitting high notes around the world, it seems most people only know about popular boy bands and girl groups. But there is a plethora of other talented musicians in Korea, too. Since I have about 15 million subscribers on my YouTube channel, I will upload content about these musicians and attempt to exert a positive impact."

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