Badass Korean
You're cool like Korea... You’re a real BADASS, so learn to speak like one!Learn some Korean slang from the GreyRat before you become the linguistic equivalent of a 99-pound weakling.
강남스타일
The picture gets your attention. The expression is the real punchline. Here is the meaning and the scene behind it, straight from As Much as a Rat’s Tail.
강남스타일
[gang-nam seu-ta-il]
uptown style
Psy’s Kingdom, encapsulated If you could sum up the whole of Psy’s Kingdom, his fiefdom of fashion, his domain of dance, in a word it would be 강남스타일. But does Psy still have it? Or is the magic gone? Seriously, 강남스타일 is long gone, it’s moved to Itaewon!
Meaning & context
한국의 슈퍼스타 싸이의 노래제목과 같아 대중화되었다. 강남스타일은 서울의 생기 넘치 는 “업타운” 지역에서, 사람들이 입고 행동하는 것에 대한 논평이다. 유명브랜드가게와 비 싼 커피숍이 즐비한 “로데오거리”를 자주 다니는 사람들은 그들의 부를 자랑하기 위해 흔 히 그들의 외모, 패션, 그리고 과시적인 라이프스타일에 전념한다. 노래는 그들의 치장과 혼란스러운 물질주의 감정에 대한 풍자이다.
Popularized by the Korean superstar, Psy in his hit song, “Gangnam Style” is a commentary on how people dress and act on the sassy “uptown” side of Seoul. People that frequent its “Rodeo drive” of name-brand stores and overpriced coffee shops are often focused on external appearances, conspicuous consumption and an ostentatious show of wealth rather than more important things. The song is a satire of their dapper styles and muddled materialistic sensibilities.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 14–15. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
원샷과 쇼트 스커트
English
One Shot and Too Short
근혜씨, 축하해! 방금 당선됐어! 이제 뭘 할거야?
GeunHye shi, Congrats! You just got elected! What will you do next?
우선, 이 $12짜리 커피 마시고 로데오에 가서 프라다 좀 사려고…
First, I’m going to throw back this $12 coffee and head to Rodeo to buy some Prada.…
아싸! 원샷! 그게 진정한 강남스타일! 그리고 나서는?
Ah-SA! One Shot! That’s very Gangnam Style of you! And then?
그리고 나서 “강남스타일”을 금지할거야!
I’m going to ban “Gangnam Style!”
뭐?! 내 노래를? 나의 이 기막힌 춤을? 내 간지스타일?
What?! Ban my song? My super fabulous dance? My ganji style?
아니지, 오빠. 난 오빠 노래 무지 좋아해, 그게 아니라 fashion police 불렀다고! 짧은 치마 입은 애들 다 잡아야지!
No, Oppa. I love your song, but I’ve called out the fashion police! Those short skirts have got to go!
안돼~~~ 그건 내가 제일 좋아하는 거라고! 그건 아주 강남답지 못해!
Noooooo, that’s my favorite part! That’s not very Gangnam of you!
From the book: notes & culture
The Straight Scoop
원샷 [one-shot] a call to “shoot it!” A common Korean practice of shooting generally smaller glasses of beer, soju or boilermakers, similar to “bottoms up.”
아싸 [ah-SA] awesome or thrilling; an exclamation of utter delight.
오빠 [o-bba] big brother (only from a girl). See page 49 and 130.
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