PSY’s Anti-American Past and Understanding Anti-American Sentiment

I’ve been very hesitant to write about PSY’s participation (and apology) in an Anti-American protest particularly because as one of a couple of 8Asian contributors who is not American, I simply was indifferent (and also tired of the whole Gangnam Style craze.) It was only until I came across Glenn Greenwald’s Guardian article “The PSY scandal: singing about killing people v. constantly doing it” that really best explained my indifference.

Knowing PSY’s reputation of being a troublemaker and finding out his anti-American lyrics were with a performance with political rock group N.EX.T, the first thought was, “I expected this to happen eventually.” Why they chose to dig something up 8 years ago, I can only attribute to being both political and a slow news day. Perhaps I’m so over it, I fail to see why this matters as no one seemed to be interested in what he said before or even now, only that he dances.

I’m certainly not absolving PSY for his statements or use of inappropriate language. He is, however, South Korean, as I am Canadian and the feeling when I hear Canadian troops being killed due to “American friendly fire” would be similar as a South Korean hearing 2 Korean girls were accidentally run over by a US tank. Not being impressed doesn’t fully express the outrage.

Now, let me be clear, I do not hate the US. It’s simply a country where close friends and family reside whom I enjoy visiting when I can afford it. But I can’t seem to bring myself to care that someone said something poor about the US knowing its responsibility.