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Artist News
Psy responds after anti-American performances emerge
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 10 December 2012
Now global South Korean pop oddity Psy has been forced to apologise to his American fans after footage appeared online of him performing in his home country in 2002 and 2004 at anti-America protest events.
The shows were protests against America’s foreign policy, the first specifically responding to the death of two Korean schoolgirls killed in an accident with an American military vehicle, and the second against the US’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In the footage he smashes a model US tank, and performs the lyrics: “Kill those fucking Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives, Kill those fucking Yankees who ordered them to torture, Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers, Kill them all slowly and painfully”. Which is nice.
The emergence of the angry protest performances comes as Psy tours the US in a bid to build a fully fledged worldwide pop career on the back of his YouTube hit ‘Gangnam Style’. Responding to criticism of the videos, he said this weekend: “As a proud South Korean who was educated in the United States and lived there for a very significant part of my life, I understand the sacrifices American servicemen and women have made to protect freedom and democracy in my country and around the world”.
“The song I was featured in – from eight years ago – was part of a deeply emotional reaction to the war in Iraq, and the killing of two innocent Korean civilians, that was part of the overall antiwar sentiment shared by others around the world at that time. While I’m grateful for the freedom to express one’s self I’ve learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I’m deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted. I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused anyone by those words”.
He adds: “I have been honoured to perform in front of American soldiers in recent months, and I hope they and all Americans can accept my apology. While it’s important we express our opinions, I deeply regret the inflammatory and inappropriate language I used to do so. In my music I try to give people a release, a reason to smile. I have learned that though music, our universal language, we can all come together as a culture of humanity and I hope that you will accept my apology”.
