The music is blaring during lunch, but not one student is dancing. Suddenly, students jump out of their seats, run towards the designated dance area and start flailing their arms and jumping up and down, trying to copy PSY`s famed dance move.
Rapper PSY (pronounced sigh) has made his mark all over the world with his hit single “Gangnam Style,” and Langley is no exception.
While the lyrics of the song are Korean, what truly stands out to Langley students is not the hysterical dance moves, but the way Gangnam is depicted.
Gangnam is a wealthy neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea that is commonly known as a party city. According to sophomore Tristan Cho, by day the citizens of Gangnam work regular jobs, but by night they light up the night with karaoke and dancing, making Gangnam look something like New York City.
The video features PSY dancing as if he is on an imaginary horse, flailing his arms and stomping his feet. “It definitely makes Korean culture more unique. I like to think of it as an example of our generation getting closer together through music rather than a sudden spread of Korean culture,” said sophomore Justin Yi, who is a Korean-American.
Like many Langley students, junior Julia Pennington has embraced the Korean culture brought on by this phenomenon. “I can do the dance flawlessly. I’m now a fan of Korean music,” she said.