Korean Rapper PSY Scores With “Gangnam Style” Video

South Korean rapper Park Jae-sang (a.k.a. PSY, sometimes spelled Psy) apparently has a hit on his hands in the U.S. with his new music video “Gangnam Style,” featuring the rapper’s signature–and apparently now viral–horseracing moves, which has received about 12 million views so far on YouTube.

PSY’s music video is also number one on Billboard’s K-Pop chart. “Gangnam Style” is something of a comeback for the U.S.-educated South Korean hip-hop recording artist, 34, who hasn’t produced any new music in two years. And fortunately the new entry has nothing to do with gangs.

According the Wall Street Journal, “On ‘Gangnam Style,’ Psy raps about the ideal girlfriend – one who is a smart and conscientious during the day and sexy and fun at night.”

By way of background, Billboard.com adds that Gangnam is one of Seoul’s trendiest neighborhoods:

Gangnam is an affluent part of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, likened to Manhattan or Beverly Hills. Psy’s take on Gangnam’s “style” is a reference to fancy living and in the song is used to impress a love interest over a European influenced dance backing.

Why is Psy’s video so addictive? The WSJ tries to explain:

The song’s chorus – “Oppa Gangnam style” – is a simple, catchy and repetitive hook. But what makes the video so memorable is Psy’s horse-riding dance move, which resembles a guy trying to appear cool on the dance floor of a wedding reception and not quite pulling it off.

Here’s a CNN report on the popularity of the “Gagnam Style” video followed by the full video itself:

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bz95ahmCEGQ” width=”420? height=”315?]

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/9bZkp7q19f0?rel=0? width=”560? height=”315?]

On Twitter, U.S. rapper T-Pain said “Words cannot even describe how amazing this video is.”

Do you agree with T-Pain about PSY’s new video?