So Gangnam Style has just become the most watched video in the world...
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Sounds about right.Thespian said:
I'm a fan and purveyor of absurdism. See my avatar? I find it endlessly hilarious, although I've received tons of urine-stained terror-mail over it. Likewise, I've watched Gangnam Style repeatedly, and every time he howls at the girl's rear end, or when the elevator opens, my WTF meters overload and I burst into laughter. I get it's not for everyone, but that's certainly one of the main reasons people watch it.
People are easily hypnotized. The video itself is alright, nothing inherently wrong with it other than it being designed to tap into that ol' beat-hypnosis that everyone laps up.
I think if 800 million people instead watched a video of the US drone policy or Israel's use of white phosphorous on civilians, then I'd be more content with it.
I think if 800 million people instead watched a video of the US drone policy or Israel's use of white phosphorous on civilians, then I'd be more content with it.
And I still have yet to see it. I think I've only barely heard parts of the song itself. Somehow I'm ok with that.
Terror-mail over an avatar? Weird.lacktheknack said:
I mean, I sort of get the absurdism angle. Not always my cup of tea, but I get it. I can often find random, absurd, nonsensical things humorous... But not when it's so clearly trying to be, like Gangnam Style is. I dunno, stringing together random events doesn't work for me, truly absurd hilarity requires more setup in my mind. I'm not really arguing your tastes of course as that is pointless, just stating that I'm truly quite surprised at this video's popularity. I guess that's a pretty good explanation though.
ENDLESS terror mail. It's gone from funny to depressing and back to funny again. I think half my inbox is a permutation of "WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT AVATAR WHY".Thespian said:
Also, just so I understand what you're saying, would you say that you find this more amusing than Gangnam Style? It's nothing if not "set up", as it takes the guy months to do each video, but is equally absurd.
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But in all seriousness, I guess this is... Good?
I do like the song, even more so given the crap it's put up against. Not exactly my favourite song of all time but I'm glad it's getting the credit it deserves.
I think it'd be about as funny and popular if, instead of being a S. Korean video, it was LMFAO making the same jokes with the same absurdity. Some jokes from this video may be based around Korea for obvious reasons, and might not make much sense to Americans (the party bus thing? The coffee line?), but I think absurdity just appeals to (many) people.Thespian said:
The "guy between the legs of another guy randomly appearing in an elevator" would be funny to see in the US OR in Korea. For evidence of this, look at the popularity of Jackass, particularly the scenes involving Chris Pontius doing absurd things while wearing nothing but a thong and bow tie.
Warning...uh...not exactly safe for work:
It explains why LMFAO's "Party Rock" is the fifth most-watched Youtube video of all time, this song also being about partying and 'lol random' humor.
It might not be your cup of tea, but...actually, I have no idea where I was going with that.
I do enjoy the song, not enough for me to consider it deserving of the most watched video but dethroning Justin Bieber is always a good thing.
As I am currently in Korea and was when the song blew up all over the place, I like it. It's fun, and quite interesting when analyzed below the surface. However, it is overplayed here to a fucking insane degree. At one point, I couldn't walk the twenty minutes from my apartment to my job without hearing it at least three times, blaring out from loudspeakers in front of different stores.
Thankfully, it's popularity seems to be waning a bit and I don't hear it as much as back in the summer. It's almost surreal seeing how huge the track got all over the world. I guess I can always claim "I was there" or something.
Thankfully, it's popularity seems to be waning a bit and I don't hear it as much as back in the summer. It's almost surreal seeing how huge the track got all over the world. I guess I can always claim "I was there" or something.
This might help some of you: http://www.theatlantic.com/internat...in-south-koreas-music-video-sensation/261462/Wintermute said:
Roland Barth, Death of the Author etc. Essentially, it doesn't matter what he said. Art speaks for itself and the imagery in the video is quite obvious to anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of Gangnam or even Korean culture in general. Thus, if one is able to effectively argue that he is taking the piss out of Korean culture, than he is. Read the article. It's interesting.Spummy said:
