Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. give birth [giv burth] (phrasal verb) – to produce or give rise to an idea
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. give birth [giv burth] (phrasal verb) – to produce or give rise to an idea
Example: The Korean wave has given birth to many Kpop artists.
2. undertone [UHN-der-tohn] (n.) – a meaning that is implied but not obvious
Example: His parents do not allow him to listen to songs with dark undertones.
3. techno [TEK-noh] (n.) – an electronic dance music with a fast beat
Example: Most partygoers enjoy dancing to the techno music.
4. pun [puhn] (n.) – a way of playfully using words that are often funny or entertaining
Example: The argument was getting more serious so he made a pun to lighten the atmosphere.
5. overcome [oh-ver-KUHM] (v.) – to successfully deal with
Example: Fame and fortune cause problems that are hard to overcome.
Article
Read the text below.
South Korean rapper Psy has released a new album following his most successful song "Gangnam Style."
"Gangnam Style" is currently the most watched YouTube video with more than 1.5 billion hits., Itgave birth to a dance craze that spread around the globe.
The song with up to 3.59 million digital sales placed ninth in the best-selling list according to Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BDS. “Gangnam Style” also came in third in the Amazon's bestseller list for 2012.
Psy’s newest single, entitled "Gentleman," uses a techno beat and contains lots of puns in Korean. The dance moves for the new song, according to Psy, are familiar to all Koreans but not to people in other countries as the dance steps are based on traditional Korean steps.
However, Psy admits that he is experiencing the pressure of overcoming the popularity of Gangnam Style. In one of his tweets, he posted a picture of himself in a recording studio with his hands covering his face, with the caption "The pain of creation.”
Park Jae-sang, the real name of Psy, graduated from the Berklee College of Music in the United States. His debut album, released in 2001, was entitled "PSY from the Psycho World."
His first album, however, caused some troubles with the US authorities because the lead song was seen as inappropriate due to sexual undertones. Psy was also charged for possessing marijuana the following year. Since 2002, Psy was able to launch five more albums.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· In your opinion, will K-pop artists be even more popular in the future? Why do you think so?
· Why do you think a song like Gangnam Style becomes very popular?
Discussion B
· How do you think the popularity of artists can help the country’s economy?
· Who among the singers in your country can most likely become internationally popular? Why do you think so?