On December 21, 2012, his music video for "Gangnam Style" exceeded one billion views on YouTube, becoming the first video to do so in the website's history. Psy was subsequently recognized by the media as the King of YouTube. As of May 2023, it is the eleventh most viewed video on YouTube, with over 4.7 billion views.
In December 2012, MTV noted Psy's rise from being little known outside South Korea, to being hailed as the "Viral Star of 2012". On December 31, 2012, Psy performed in a globally televised New Year's Eve celebration with American rapper MC Hammer on-stage in front of a live audience of over a million people in Times Square, New York City. Following his departure from YG Entertainment in 2018, he founded his own company, P Nation, in 2019.
Park Jae-sang was born on December 31, 1977, to an affluent family in the Gangnam District of Seoul, South Korea.[10] His father, Park Won-Ho, is the executive chairman of DI Corporation, a manufacturer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment listed on the Korea Exchange. His mother, Kim Young-hee, owns several restaurants in Gangnam.
Park attended Banpo (반포) Elementary and Middle Schools and Sehwa (세화) High School. He disliked school and was known as the class clown. In an interview on South Korea's Seoul Broadcasting System, a former teacher of Park said: "I remember Psy making a lot of sexual jokes during class. He had such a big influence that he would drive the entire class to his jokes. I disliked him at the time, but looking back, I see that he added a great energy to the class."
Park told CNN's Alina Cho that when he was 15 years old, he watched a Korean TV programme that introduced foreign pop music. One particular episode showed a concert at Wembley Stadium held by the British rock band Queen where they performed their 1975 hit single "Bohemian Rhapsody". Park said it was this concert footage that sparked his love for music.
In January 2001, Psy debuted his full-length album Psy from the Psycho World!, for which he was fined by South Korean government authorities due to his album's "inappropriate content". Psy was a rookie hip-hop singer that stirred up the Korean pop music scene with very blunt lyrics, peculiar dance moves and an unconventional appearance that earned him the nickname "The Bizarre Singer(엽기가수)".
His second album Sa 2 also created controversy upon its release in 2002, earning complaints from civil groups due to the potentially negative influence his album would have on children and teenagers. Since then, Psy has been thought of as a controversial artist, and Sa 2 was banned in 2002 from being sold to the under-19 set. In September of the same year, Psy released his third album 3 Psy. The album's title song, "Champion", saw great success partly due to the hype from the World Cup games held in Seoul. Despite the significant amount of controversy surrounding his music, Psy was awarded songwriting accolades at the annual Seoul Music Awards, marking his breakthrough in the South Korean music industry.
Never Say Goodbye
Psy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sarameun eonjenka keureohke kkeuchina taeyeonaji mal-keol keurae-nna
Sesangi nappeu-go salmi apeu-go keuraeseo uneun-cheokhada soyongeop-seo unneunda
Never say goodbye yeongwonhan geon eopt-gie yeongwonhan ibyeoldo eom-neun geoya
Never say goodbye tashi mannal-keoral-gie useumyeo tteonaneun geoya
Salda bomyeon sarajinda keokjeong but-deu-reo maera-go
Giyeo-geul giyeokha-go chu-eo-geul chu-eokha-go
Jugeul mankeum ulda-gado kyeol-kung nun-mu-ri mareunda-go
Hyikeuk bikeukdo kyeol-kuk kkeuchi i-nneun yeonkeugil ppun geu junge chalna-il ppun
Naye nameun nal junge oneu-ri kajang jeolmgie
Tashi eodi-nkaro tteonane
Sarami nappeu-go sarangi apeu-go keuraeseo jugeun-cheokhada soyongeop-seo i-reona
Never say goodbye yeongwonhan geon eopt-gie yeongwonhan ibyeoldo eom-neun geoya
Never say goodbye tashi mannal-keoral-gie useumyeo tteonaneun geoya
Nae-ga hal su i-nneun naye modeunkeol dahaesseo keuraeseo huhweh eopseul-kka
Mannameun eonjena ibyeollo kkeuchina sarang-haji mal-keol keurae-nna
Hyikeuk bikeukdo kyeol-kuk kkeuchi i-nneun yeonkeugil ppun geu junge chalna-il ppun
Naye nameun nal junge oneu-ri kajang jeolmgie
Tashi eodi-nkaro tteonane
Never say goodbye yeongwonhan geon eopt-gie yeongwonhan ibyeoldo eom-neun geoya
Never say goodbye tashi mannal-keoral-gie useumyeo tteonaneun geoya
The lyrics of "Never Say Goodbye" by Psy explore the idea of holding onto love and memories despite the inevitability of goodbyes. The song acknowledges the pain and sadness that come with saying goodbye, but ultimately urges listeners to focus on the happy moments and memories that they will carry with them forever. Psy sings of the universal nature of goodbyes, telling listeners that whether it's a person or an experience, everything eventually comes to an end. However, he emphasizes that the love and memories that are created during these moments are what make life truly meaningful and worth living.
The lyrics are powerful in their simplicity, delivering a message that is both relatable and impactful. Psy's delivery is emotional and heartfelt, perfectly encapsulating the bittersweet nature of goodbyes. The repetition of the phrase "never say goodbye" serves as a reminder to listeners to cherish the moments they have and to keep the memories alive even after the goodbye has been said.
Line by Line Meaning
Mannameun eonjena ibyeollo kkeuchina sarang-haji mal-keol keurae-nna
I will always love without saying goodbye, even if everything else ends.
Sarameun eonjenka keureohke kkeuchina taeyeonaji mal-keol keurae-nna
People will always pass away eventually, without having to say goodbye.
Sesangi nappeu-go salmi apeu-go keuraeseo uneun-cheokhada soyongeop-seo unneunda
Life can be sad and even painful, but we can learn from it and grow.
Never say goodbye yeongwonhan geon eopt-gie yeongwonhan ibyeoldo eom-neun geoya
There is no forever goodbye, even in everlasting separation.
Never say goodbye tashi mannal-keoral-gie useumyeo tteonaneun geoya
Instead, smile and say 'see you later' as you depart.
Baksuchil ttae tteona-go areumda-un ibyeorha-go
When it's time to leave, leave with grace and beauty.
Salda bomyeon sarajinda keokjeong but-deu-reo maera-go
Don't worry about disappearing when no one is watching.
Giyeo-geul giyeokha-go chu-eo-geul chu-eokha-go
Remember the successes and the failures alike.
Jugeul mankeum ulda-gado kyeol-kung nun-mu-ri mareunda-go
Even if tears flow like rivers, it's okay to let them be.
Hyikeuk bikeukdo kyeol-kuk kkeuchi i-nneun yeonkeugil ppun geu junge chalna-il ppun
Life is a journey where the destination is the only end, so let's enjoy it where we are.
Naye nameun nal junge oneu-ri kajang jeolmgie
Let's make memories today because tomorrow is uncertain.
Tashi eodi-nkaro tteonane
Part ways, but with optimism for future meetings.
Sarami nappeu-go sarangi apeu-go keuraeseo jugeun-cheokhada soyongeop-seo i-reona
People may be fragile and love may be painful, but we can endure and survive.
Nae-ga hal su i-nneun naye modeunkeol dahaesseo keuraeseo huhweh eopseul-kka
I have done everything I could, and so I have no regrets.
Contributed by Jason A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.