'Gangnam Style' video vulgar, say Chinese netizens

Beijing: The popular hit Gangnam Style by South Korean rapper PSY, which has been viewed millions of times on YouTube in just two months, has been termed “vulgar”, and the singer “pompous” by Chinese netizens. In the music video, PSY appeared “pompous” in a beach, horse stable, and sauna, repeating the phrase “Oppan Gangnam style”, the People’s Daily reported. [caption id=“attachment_487656” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A screen grab from the video[/caption] It said the song’s global popularity may be attributed to its portrayal of the life of a “tall, rich, and handsome” man “that many losers dream about”. Many South Koreans “yearn to live” in Gangnam, the “most affluent and dynamic area” in Seoul, but it is more often than not just a dream. “Underneath the pompous and luxurious life shown in the music video of Gangnam Style lies the sadness of losers,” the daily said. Gangnam Style is undoubtedly a “subtle social satire on the wide gap between the rich and the poor”. A large number of (Chinese) people like this song, but others find it vulgar and unbearable, it said. An internet user said, “With more than 300 million views, I expected it to be a good song, but it turned out not. I do not know what you guys think about it, but I for one find it vulgar.” “Such a vulgar song will be popular just for a short time. Songs that last forever must be those touching your soul rather than such ostentatious songs,” the user said. Another internet user under the name “Passing Phoenix” said it was a catchy song “but its music video and the cultural content are vulgar”. “Its popularity will accelerate the vulgarisation of world cultures,” he said. IANS