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.
Sleepless
Psy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
방황하며 춤을 추는 불빛들
이 밤에 취해 흔들리고 있네요
또다시 밤이 깊었네
밤에 잠을 이루지 못해
뒤척이다 둘러보니
혼자 세상의 짐을 싹 다 짊어졌네생각이 많아지고
세상 다 가지고 싶었지만
세상 앞에 나는 결국 작아지고
인생의 정답을 찾지 못하는 구겨진 내 삶의 지도
그래, 내일부터 남보다 나은 인간이 되길 바래본다
그게 뭐든 간에 가까이에 두고 먼 산만 바라본다
그게 대체 뭐라고 일단 미간을 찌푸리고 본다
생각이 꼬리를 문다
밤이 깊었네
방황하며 춤을 추는 불빛들 (ooh-ooh-ooh)
이 밤에 취해 흔들리고 있네요 (ooh-ooh-ooh)
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
혼자라고 느낄 때
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
혼자서 흐느낄 때
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
혼자 있는 널 위해
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
불러 줄게 이 노래
어느새 어른이 되었네
나도 모르게 얼룩이 졌네
세월 따라 걷다 보니 점점 때가 묻어 멀리 와 버렸네
살다가 당황해서, 실은 방황했어
그래, 그런 거지 같은 그저 그런 상황에서
인생의 정답을 찾지 못하고 설명만이 장황했어
어쩔 수가 없어, 겉과 속이 다르게 살아야 돼
그게 뭐든 간에 마음 깊숙이에 꾹꾹 눌러 담아야 돼
모가 난 돌이 정에 맞잖아, 뭐를 숨기고 참아야 돼
그렇게 살아가야 돼
살다 가야 돼
얼마나 살았을까? (얼마나 살았을까?)
얼마나 남았을까? (얼마나 남았을까?)
어디까지 왔을까? (어디까지 왔을까?)
어디로 가는 걸까? (어디로 가는 걸까?)
밤이 깊었네
방황하며 춤을 추는 불빛들
이 밤에 취해 흔들리고 있네요
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
혼자라고 느낄 때
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
혼자서 흐느낄 때
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
혼자 있는 널 위해
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
불러 줄게 이 노래
The lyrics of Psy's song "Sleepless" depict a deep sense of loneliness and inner struggles that occur late at night. The first verse describes the wandering lights dancing in the night, symbolizing the restless thoughts and emotions of the singer. The lyrics reveal that the singer is unable to sleep, constantly tossing and turning, realizing that they carry the burden of the world on their shoulders. The second verse reflects on the singer's desire to have it all, to possess the answers to life's questions, but feeling small and unable to find those answers. The lyrics also imply a sense of dissatisfaction and frustration with the complexities of life.
The pre-chorus emphasizes the singer's determination to become a better person from the next day onwards, even if it means observing others closely and distancing themselves from their own desires. The chorus reiterates the deep loneliness and vulnerability that the singer feels, accompanied by the dancing lights in the night.
The bridge reflects on the passage of time and the realization that the singer has unknowingly become stained and changed along with it. It suggests that the more they experience life, the more they become confused and lost, unable to find the answers and only able to offer lengthy explanations. The final verse portrays the singer's acknowledgment that there is no other choice but to live with a facade, as appearances and reality must be different. It mentions the need to keep one's true feelings deep inside and endure life's hardships. The repetition of questions in the outro highlights the singer's contemplations of how much they have lived, how much is left, where they have come, and where they are going.
Line by Line Meaning
밤이 깊었네
The night has grown deep
방황하며 춤을 추는 불빛들
The lights dancing in confusion
이 밤에 취해 흔들리고 있네요
Intoxicated, swaying in this night
또다시 밤이 깊었네
Once again, the night has grown deep
밤에 잠을 이루지 못해
Unable to find sleep at night
뒤척이다 둘러보니
Tossing and turning, looking around
혼자 세상의 짐을 싹 다 짊어졌네
Alone, shouldering the burden of the world
생각이 많아지고
Thoughts becoming numerous
세상 다 가지고 싶었지만
Wanting everything in the world
세상 앞에 나는 결국 작아지고
In front of the world, I ultimately become smaller
인생의 정답을 찾지 못하는 구겨진 내 삶의 지도
The crumpled map of my life, unable to find the answer to life
그래, 내일부터 남보다 나은 인간이 되길 바래본다
Yes, from tomorrow, I hope to become a better person than others
그게 뭐든 간에 가까이에 두고 먼 산만 바라본다
No matter what it is, I will keep it close and only look at the distant mountains
그게 대체 뭐라고 일단 미간을 찌푸리고 본다
Whatever it is, I furrow my brow and look at it in confusion
생각이 꼬리를 문다
Thoughts tangle up
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
혼자라고 느낄 때
When I feel alone
혼자서 흐느낄 때
When I cry alone
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
혼자 있는 널 위해
For you who are alone
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
불러 줄게 이 노래
I will sing this song for you
어느새 어른이 되었네
Suddenly, I have become an adult
나도 모르게 얼룩이 졌네
Unknowingly, I have become stained
세월 따라 걷다 보니
As time goes by, I realize
점점 때가 묻어 멀리 와 버렸네
Gradually, the stains have spread and become distant
살다가 당황해서, 실은 방황했어
While living, I got confused and actually wandered
그래, 그런 거지 같은 그저 그런 상황에서
Yes, in such a situation that seems like nothing
인생의 정답을 찾지 못하고 설명만이 장황했어
Unable to find the answer to life and only longwinded explanations
어쩔 수가 없어, 겉과 속이 다르게 살아야 돼
There's no other choice, I have to live with a different exterior and interior
그게 뭐든 간에 마음 깊숙이에 꾹꾹 눌러 담아야 돼
No matter what it is, I must firmly hold it deep in my heart
모가 난 돌이 정에 맞잖아, 뭐를 숨기고 참아야 돼
I'm just a stone thrown into the waves, I have to hide and endure
그렇게 살아가야 돼
That's how I have to live
살다 가야 돼
I have to live
얼마나 살았을까? (얼마나 살았을까?)
How long have I lived? (How long have I lived?)
얼마나 남았을까? (얼마나 남았을까?)
How much more is left? (How much more is left?)
어디까지 왔을까? (어디까지 왔을까?)
How far have I come? (How far have I come?)
어디로 가는 걸까? (어디로 가는 걸까?)
Where am I headed? (Where am I headed?)
밤이 깊었네
The night has grown deep
방황하며 춤을 추는 불빛들
The lights dancing in confusion
이 밤에 취해 흔들리고 있네요
Intoxicated, swaying in this night
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
혼자라고 느낄 때
When I feel alone
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
혼자서 흐느낄 때
When I cry alone
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
혼자 있는 널 위해
For you who are alone
나-나-나, 나-나-나-나
Me-me-me, me-me-me-me
불러 줄게 이 노래
I will sing this song for you
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kyung Rock Han, Jai Sang Park
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind