[The WHO-K Star② | PSY] Beyond 'Gangnam Style': A Syndrome That Made th...

Reached the top of the world with Gangnam Style

Rewrote YouTube history

One “horse dance” united the globe

Captivated the world with B-grade sensibility

Unstoppable passion, a “giant of the stage”

Pioneering spirit that expanded the territory of K-pop

Broke down the high barrier of the Billboard charts

“Psy-nomics” that created 1 trillion won in value

Presented a model for marketing in the digital age

K-content is now functioning as a central axis of global culture, moving beyond being merely a trend under the name of “Hallyu.” Korean popular culture—encompassing music, film, and drama—is leading global industries and trends in real time beyond national borders. At the center of this movement are “global stars” who continue to expand the stage even now. They have moved beyond being simply popular entertainers to become a genre and a phenomenon in themselves, elevating the status of K-content in the global market. The serialized feature “The WHO-K Star” highlights K-content stars active on the global stage today, examining how each figure expands the market and reshapes the flow, as well as their influence and significance.

Singer PSY performs at the “Heumppuk Show” held at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in Seo-gu, Incheon, on August 17, 2024. (Source: Newsis)

[Cheonji Ilbo=Reporter Kang Soo-kyoung] Before the world went wild over BTS, when even the term K-pop was still unfamiliar, one man had already crossed borders. There was no sophisticated system or massive planning behind him. Instead, he had just one thing: “intuitive enjoyment” that transcended language. And that enjoyment spread into a massive wave that shook the world in the summer of 2012. That man was PSY.

◆ Architect of the Digital Silk Road… Conquering YouTube

In the summer of 2012, when a man in a fluorescent jacket appeared dancing the horse dance with comical gestures, the world dismissed it as a mere happening. But Gangnam Style shattered language barriers in an instant. PSY’s success diverged from the polished idol formula that K-pop had pursued. Instead of perfectly synchronized choreography, he chose an intuitive dance that anyone could follow; instead of mystique, he embraced a friendly “B-grade sensibility.”

This strategy, combined with the immense power of the digital era, triggered an explosive reaction. Surpassing one billion views for the first time in YouTube history and forcing Google to update its system (from 32-bit to 64-bit), the moment symbolized that the power of content could redefine the limits of a platform, beyond the popularity of an individual artist. As of 2026, Gangnam Style maintains a legendary record of 5.9 billion views and continues to function as a living global IP (intellectual property).

Singer PSY attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner 2013 in Washington, D.C., on April 28, 2013 (Korea time). (Source: AP=Newsis)

◆ “Psy-nomics” Creating 1 Trillion Won in Value

PSY’s influence did not stop at chart rankings. In the field of economics, his ripple effect has been termed “Psy-nomics.” Experts estimate that a single song, Gangnam Style, generated over 1 trillion won in economic value through enhanced national brand recognition, tourism promotion, and increased exports of related products.