I will bring more Korean dance moves and Korean songs overseas.
— Psy
My wife looks at the person Park Jae Sang and the singer who goes up on stage, Psy, as different people.
I'm not that good looking. That's why 'Gangnam Style' works. If someone handsome uses that phrase it's just awkward. But if someone like me uses it, it's funny.
When I signed with Scooter Braun and I decided to go overseas to promote my song, the only concern was how should I communicate with the public and the audience with my language. Scooter and I talked a lot about that: should we translate or not? Finally we didn't, and I think that was a really good decision.
I lived in the States from 1996 till 2000. I attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1997. But I wasn't the most hard-working student. I rarely went to school. At that time, I seriously doubted that you could learn creativity in school. Music isn't something you can just learn from other people. Sometimes I regret missing classes.
The fact that I'm shouting that I have Gangnam style makes people crack up. Imagine if Brad Pitt was singing the song - would it be funny? A twist is important when it comes to writing lyrics.
My lifetime role model and hero is Freddie Mercury of Queen. His songwriting skills, I cannot even approach, but his showmanship, I learned it from videos.
If a Korean artist reaches to the top, we're all ready to stand up and applaud for him or her.
I understand the sacrifices American servicemen and women have made to protect freedom and democracy in my country and around the world.
All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.
I'm not that good looking.
I just made my album. I did my best. And I uploaded the video just to 'YouTube.' That was all.
I never expect I would become a K-pop star.
There's a lot of variety of musicians in Korea. I cannot say they are the best in the world, but I can say that Korean artists are really dynamic artists, so I am going to show that from now on.
I was not familiar with the Internet thing. Honestly, you know with all kinds of Internet media, I was not that familiar. I was not that kind of guy. Accidentally, 'Gangnam Style' happened, and you have YouTube and all other sorts of stuff like Facebook and Twitter and so on. So after that, I learned and learned.
I like the word 'artist,' but I don't like the word 'artist' inside my house.
If I say, 'Hey, I'm Psy.' 'Psy?' 'The guy from the video on YouTube?' 'Oh.' I hate that. I've got to be more popular than the video. So I need to keep promoting myself.
I've got to wear sunglasses everywhere, all the time, even if its indoors or at night time, to be recognized. That's part of my job. I cannot take off my sunglasses. For me, staying in the United States was so dark because I can't take them off.
I've always tried to come up with funny dancing since I was young, to attract girls' attention for one thing. It's got to be funny. I can't pull it off with serious dances. That's not me.
As an artist, the more experience, the better the creation. I'm a very positive person.
I cannot learn creation from other people; I've got to do it myself. Now, honestly, I regret not studying - I don't know about harmonies, or anything, so if I'm composing a song, it's really hard.
The basic principle I have is that what is most Korean is what is the most international. I don't want to come here and act like I'm an American. I want to showcase the dynamic potential Korea has, and I want to prove that as an artist.
I need to show the world that my final goal is to perform huge concerts like Madonna.
Before 'Gangnam Style' I was not a good attitude artist.
The world's most famous and popular language is music.
My original name is Jae-Sang Park, so it's totally different.
My lifetime role model and hero is Freddie Mercury of Queen.
Everything moves way too fast.
I really like the P!nk song with the guy from fun., 'Just Give Me a Reason.'
In Korean, my lyrics are witty and have twists. But translated into English, it doesn't come over. I've tried writing in English, just for me, but it doesn't work. I've got to know everything about a culture, and I don't.
It's tiring to be asked the same questions all day long: 'What is Gangnam style?' and 'Teach me how to dance.'
In Korea, it's a tradition to inherit your father's business. Unfortunately, I'm the only son in the entire family, so they were forcing too much.
Thanks to many great K-pop singers, the groundwork has been laid for more Korean songs to be readily accessible to an overseas audience via channels like YouTube.
Queen and Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses - I had a huge rock-band mania. I play a little bit of drums.
To the U.S. and the world, I'm just known as some funny song and some funny music, some funny video guy. But in Korea I'm doing one of the biggest concerts; it's not a dance music concert. I'm playing with the band, so I change my every song to a rock song.
While I'm grateful for the freedom to express one's self, I've learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I'm deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted.
Unexpectedly, I'm here now, so I need to let all the U.S. marketers know that Asians are not different. We are all the same.
That's why 'Gangnam Style' works. If someone handsome uses that phrase it's just awkward. But if someone like me uses it, it's funny.
Gangnam is a territory in Seoul, Korea. I describe it as noble at the daytime and going crazy at the night time. I compare ladies to the territory. So - noble at the daytime, going crazy at the night time - and the lyric says I am the right guy for the lady who is like that.
I try to dress classy and dance cheesy.
We are just at the studio, me and my choreographers, we are spending like 30 nights and we are thinking, what is my next dance move? Because in Korea there are huge expectations about my dancing. So it was a lot of pressure.
