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.
Refuge
Psy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
나의 하루는 그저 그랬어요 eh
괜찮은 척하기가 혹시 힘들었나요
난 그저 그냥 버틸만했어요 eh
솔직히 내 생각보다 세상은 독해요
솔직히 난 생각보다 강하진 못해요
버틸 거야 견딜 거야 괜찮을 거야
하지만 버틴다고 계속 버텨지지는 않네요
그래요 나 기댈 곳이 필요해요
그대여 나의 기댈 곳이 돼줘요
당신의 고된 하루를 누가 달래주나요
다독여달라고 해도 소용없어요
솔직히 난 세상보다 한참 부족해요
솔직히 난 세상만큼 차갑진 못해요
하지만 힘들다고 어리광 부릴 순 없어요
버틸 거야 견딜 거야 괜찮을 거야
하지만 버틴다고 계속 버텨지지는 않네요
그래요 나 기댈 곳이 필요해요
그대여 나의 기댈 곳이 돼줘요
항상 난 세상이 날 알아주길 바래
실은 나 세상이 날 안아주길 바래
괜찮은 척하지만 사는 게 맘 같지는 않네요
저마다의 웃음 뒤엔 아픔이 있어
하지만 아프다고 소리 내고 싶지는 않아요
그래요 나 기댈 곳이 필요해요
그대여 나의 기댈 곳이 돼줘요
The lyrics to Psy's song Refuge depict the struggles of an individual who feels overwhelmed by the challenges of life. The first verse expresses the sentiment of feeling like the day was average and just barely manageable. The second verse talks about the harshness of the world being difficult to handle and the desire for a safe place to rely on. The chorus talks about the need for a refuge in times of trouble, someone who can listen and offer support. The final verse reveals the vulnerability of the individual who desires to be loved and embraced by the world but is constantly battling the difficulties of life with a smile.
The song features a strong message of hope and perseverance through tough times. It shows that it's okay to admit to the struggles of life and that it takes strength to get through them. The song also features a powerful message of support, showcasing the importance of having someone to rely on in times of need. The song's composition is mainly composed of a soft melody, harmonizing perfectly with the lyrics to create a soothing yet emotional listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
당신의 오늘 하루가 힘들진 않았나요
Did you have a tough day today?
나의 하루는 그저 그랬어요 eh
My day was just so-so, eh
괜찮은 척하기가 혹시 힘들었나요
Was it hard pretending to be okay?
난 그저 그냥 버틸만했어요 eh
I just managed to endure, eh
솔직히 내 생각보다 세상은 독해요
Honestly, the world is harsher than I thought
솔직히 난 생각보다 강하진 못해요
Honestly, I'm not as strong as I thought
하지만 힘들다고 어리광 부릴 순 없어요
But I can't act out just because things are hard
버틸 거야 견딜 거야 괜찮을 거야
I'll endure, I'll bear it, it'll be okay
하지만 버틴다고 계속 버텨지지는 않네요
But just enduring doesn't mean I'll keep enduring forever
그래요 나 기댈 곳이 필요해요
That's why I need a place to depend on
그대여 나의 기댈 곳이 돼줘요
You, be my place to depend on
당신의 고된 하루를 누가 달래주나요
Who can comfort you after a tough day?
다독여달라고 해도 소용없어요
Even if I ask for comfort, it's useless
솔직히 난 세상보다 한참 부족해요
Honestly, I fall short of the world's expectations
솔직히 난 세상만큼 차갑진 못해요
Honestly, I'm not as cold as the world
항상 난 세상이 날 알아주길 바래
I always hope the world will recognize me
실은 나 세상이 날 안아주길 바래
In reality, I hope the world will embrace me
괜찮은 척하지만 사는 게 맘 같지는 않네요
Even though I pretend I'm okay, living doesn't feel like it
저마다의 웃음 뒤엔 아픔이 있어
Behind each person's laugh, there's pain
하지만 아프다고 소리 내고 싶지는 않아요
But I don't want to make noise just because I'm hurting
그래요 나 기댈 곳이 필요해요
That's why I need a place to depend on
그대여 나의 기댈 곳이 돼줘요
You, be my place to depend on
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Byoung Hoon Kim, Jai Sang Park, Kyung Jin Baek, Won Jin Seo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind