PSY’s “Gangnam Style” And “Gangnam Oppa” In “Architecture 101″ (1)
By Guest Contributor Jea Kim (aka Onsemiro), cross-posted from My Dear Korea
- What the Heck Is Gangnam Style?
PSY finally set the world on fire with a song, Gangnam Seutail (강남스타일, “Gangnam Style”), written and performed by himself. The song is the title track of his sixth studio album, Yukgap (육갑), which can be interpreted two ways: (i) the word originally means “the sexagenary cycle;” but (ii) it is mostly used in a derogatory way as meaning “a total retard.” However, PSY chose this word to express his hope that his sixth (육(六), “six”) album would be the best (갑(甲), “best”). He made a wish and his wish came true. In fact, the song turned out to be a greater success than he had hoped; it became an instant YouTube, and iTunes hit upon its release and also has immediately become a worldwide phenom. And people are beginning to wonder what the heck is “Gangnam style.”
Generally speaking, “Gangnam” is the south of the Han River in Seoul while “Gangbuk” is the north of the river, in which gang means “river” (that is, the Han River); nam is “south,” and buk is north. More specifically, though, it refers to the areas that include Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu districts as seen below. (Note that Songpa-gu can be considered to be part of Gangnam in a broader sense.)
Map of Seoul (2012)
Gangbuk has been the heart of Seoul in every way until lately when Gangnam started being developed in the 70′s. The most time-honored, cherished, and traditional areas in Gangbuk include Jung-gu and Jongno-gu. Jung-gu (중구(中區), “central district”), as its name suggests, is located in the “center” of present-day Seoul while Jongno-gu is located in the center of old Seoul–Jongno-gu or Jongno district was named after its main street, Jongno (종로구(鍾路區),”Bell Street”). Jongno-gu has been the heart of Seoul for about 600 years as it has been the abode of kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty and of the presidents of South Korea. Both Jongno-gu and Jung-gu not only boast a valuable historical and cultural heritage that is reflected in the numerous palaces, museums, monuments, and other tourist attractions but have served as leading economic and political centers of South Korea. On the other hand, as seen in the following 1912 map of Seoul, present-day Gangnam was not even part of the city.
Map of Seoul (1912)
Gangnam was an undeveloped rural area, especially Korean cabbage and Korean pear fields, and called Youngdong which means “the east of Youngdeungpo,” in the 70s, about 40 years ago. However, the area was designated for commercial and residential development on an unprecedented scale as old Seoul was growing at the speed of light in the 60s, and with the opening of the Hannam Bridge in 1969 and the opening of the Gyeongbu Expressway in 1970, which starts from its northern end in Seocho-dong in Gangnam and continues south to Busan.
(top) High-rise apartment complexes just constructed by Hyundai, right next to Korean pear fields in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, in the 70′s; (bottom) the night view of present-day Apgujeong-dong.
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