PSY CONCERT!

OPA GANGNAM STYLE... OP OP OP OP


Psy Concert -- Sept. 26th, 2012
Seowon University, Cheongju

the one and only... PSY

First let me just explain to you how big this guy is (not literally although he is a bit chunky for a Korean). Gangnam style (pronounced gone-naum) is his recent biggest hit! Gangnam Style has almost 288,000,000 million views at this moment. The song was released July 15th, 2012. Back story on Gangnam, it is an area of Seoul, which is known to be the richest and where most Koreans want to live. However, this music video and song by Psy is not classy at all. It is super cheesy! It is not just big in South Korea but also around the world and especially in America! He has been on the Today Show and Ellen and Saturday Night Live (and more to come in the near future I am sure!) He also just got signed by Justin Bieber's manager! THIS GUY IS HUGE!!! HUGE HUGE!!!!!

Watch the Gangnam Style music video.

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Now that you know what I am speaking of, let's continue...........

me.. at the concert.

So beyond the fact that my kids are obsessed with this video (as the rest of us expats in Korea and now everyone everywhere).. why I am writing about this now? BECAUSE I WENT TO HIS CONCERT LAST NIGHT! PSY.. the man of the year, a super hero, hilarious, world star, PSY. That man was only about 15-20 people away from me! There were thousands there and I was one of the few that got to be up close!


(back story) The week before my Korean Scholar had told me, Psy might be coming to Cheongju next Wednesday (they say maybe for everything here.. which is frustrating but to be explained more on a different day.) I FREAKED... and said what? Psy? Psy? is coming to Cheongju? and he said, 'yes maybe.' I told him if he is coming we are going; you are taking me! I WILL see Psy!! So that is just what happened.





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the sea of Koreans and their huge cellphones

Sorry my thoughts are so jumbled, I am still in shock that I got to see this man! So the concert itself. We went directly from school and first stopped to eat some delicious fried chicken with a couple of our scholars. The group was (Sarah, Alina, Eugene, Alina's scholar and I). We scarfed our chicken and headed to the concert venue at Seowon University. There was already a decent crowd forming (at 7:30) and this was hours before Psy would step foot on stage (around 10:30). So, we got in the crowd. Started finagling our way around. It didn't take long for us to get separated from each other, but I was luckily still with Eugene! There was sooo much pushing and stepping on people. I guess they kept telling us to take steps back (that was the translation I got from Eugene). Of course that never happened so instead they made us all sit down. Yes, you read that right, sit down. We all took a seat in the dirt and since we were stacked in like sardines, this was a chore. And everyone actually did it. The whole crowd was seated as we watched the opening acts. First some crappy musicians (like really bad). I could see the cards in their hands and they would turn their backs to us. Then some expats who sang and they weren't great either but at least they were speaking my language. Then we got some girls who basically got up there and shook their butt while lip syncing. Korea is all about looking good and being appealing! They did a dance to 'Single Ladies' and another Beyonce song, which was pretty fantastic (again because it was in English!) 





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he is pretty darn fantastic.. let me tell you. 

Then when it was time for Psy to come.. things got crazy. We were allowed to stand. But then the shoving started. And we were closer than I have ever been to so many people EVER. There were a couple of small Asians in my armpits and right under my nose. Ok.. so I got shoved.. a lot sure. But it was totally worth it! Here is a good time for a quick shout out to my mother (and her tallness and tall genes) for allowing me to actually see Psy. Also a shout out to all Korean people for being a little on the shorter side!!

Psy singing one of the songs I didn't know at all!

When he came out and we FREAKED out!! Everyone did! He spoke to us in some Korean -- basically saying we were too squashed and needed to move back. So we said.. han-na, dul, set (1,2,3) and attempted to move. He is pretty funny (or so I got from all the laughs!) He went on to sing some of his older songs and a brand new one, all of which I had never heard.. or had a clue of what he was saying. But man when it came Gangnam Style time I FREAKED OUT! There was so much screaming and everyone was yelling the words! I was yelling.. maybe the words?.. more like yelling gibberish I am pretty sure! But it was still amazing. I wish I could have done the signature horse riding dance but there was no room. I couldn't move any part of my body except my arms straight up and when everyone jumped we were all forced to!



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Here is my 'live version' of Gangnam Style!

(sorry for the jumpiness and the bad sound quality. I don't think my camera loved the screaming!)

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After Gangnam Style (Sarah had found me at this point) and we started headed out of the crowd - even though the concert was still going on. We got out and that's when I realized just how many people were there! There were people on hills, on the balcony of the nearby building, in classrooms. It was INSANE! We finally managed to find Alina (who happens to be 1/4 Korean) in a massive sea of Koreans. We also hailed a taxi by running into the street on a red light to get into the car, but we made it home and now have many memories, stories, photos and videos to share of the biggest star we have seen in ages!

as the concert was finishing up.. I'm being super korean :)

I am sooo happy I got to see Psy and that he came to my city! -- out of all the places in Korea. Cheongju and it was FREE! Man I love Korea. Like I have said before, 'Why should I leave?' Still don't have an answer to that!