The phenomenon that is Gangnam Style
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South Korean Psy performs during the 2012 MTV European Music Awards show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, central Germany, Sunday, Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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South Korean singer PSY performs during the MTV European Music Awards 2012 show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt on Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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South Korean singer Psy performs during the 2012 MTV European Music Awards (EMA) at the Festhalle in Frankfurt am Main, central Germany on Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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South Korean Psy presents his award for the best video during the 2012 MTV European Music Awards show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, central Germany, Sunday, Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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In this Nov 13, 2012 photo released by Guy Oseary, singer Madonna, left, is shown onstage with South Korean rapper Psy during Madonna's MDNA concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. -- PHOTO: AP
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Red Bull driver Mark Webber, left, of Australia and his teammate Sebastian Vettel, right, of Germany perform Gangnam Style dance with South Korean rapper PSY, center, before the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam, South Korea, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Robot models with faces attached with portraits of South Korean rapper Psy, who sings the popular Gangnam Style song, perform the dance during a contest for reports of future strategies of robots in Seoul, South Korea. Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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South Korean singer Psy performs his hit Gangnam Style during a morning television appearance in central Sydney Oct 17, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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In this Oct 23, 2012 photo provided by the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, left, laughing with Korean rapper Psy during a photo opportunity at the UN headquarters in New York. -- PHOTO: AP
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In this handout picture received from the Oxford Union South Korean Rapper Psy (centre) demonstrates his Gangnam Style dance moves after delivering a speech at the Oxford Union at Oxford University on Nov 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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This handout picture taken on Oct 24, 2012 and received by AFP from Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei shows Ai Weiwei (centre left) dancing his version of the Gangnam Style hit by South Korean rapper Psy, with his friend Zuoxiao Zuzhou (right) in Beijing. -- PHOTO: AFP
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South Korean rapper Psy poses with tv anchor Sebastien Cauet (left) before performing Gangnam Style in front of a crowd during a flashmob on Nov 5, 2012 in Paris. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Philippine convicts dance to the tune of the horse-riding dance Gangnam Style made famous by South Korean rapper Psy during a performance for visitors and toruists at the Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu on Oct 27, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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People dance along to Gangnam Style during a flashmob organised at Piazza del Popolo on Nov 10, 2012 in Rome. -- PHOTO: AFP
South Korean Psy performs during the 2012 MTV European Music Awards show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, central Germany, Sunday, Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
South Korean singer PSY performs during the MTV European Music Awards 2012 show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt on Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
South Korean singer Psy performs during the 2012 MTV European Music Awards (EMA) at the Festhalle in Frankfurt am Main, central Germany on Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
South Korean Psy presents his award for the best video during the 2012 MTV European Music Awards show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, central Germany, Sunday, Nov 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
In this Nov 13, 2012 photo released by Guy Oseary, singer Madonna, left, is shown onstage with South Korean rapper Psy during Madonna's MDNA concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. -- PHOTO: AP
Red Bull driver Mark Webber, left, of Australia and his teammate Sebastian Vettel, right, of Germany perform Gangnam Style dance with South Korean rapper PSY, center, before the Korean Formula One Grand Prix at the Korean International Circuit in Yeongam, South Korea, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Robot models with faces attached with portraits of South Korean rapper Psy, who sings the popular Gangnam Style song, perform the dance during a contest for reports of future strategies of robots in Seoul, South Korea. Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
South Korean singer Psy performs his hit Gangnam Style during a morning television appearance in central Sydney Oct 17, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
In this Oct 23, 2012 photo provided by the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, left, laughing with Korean rapper Psy during a photo opportunity at the UN headquarters in New York. -- PHOTO: AP
In this handout picture received from the Oxford Union South Korean Rapper Psy (centre) demonstrates his Gangnam Style dance moves after delivering a speech at the Oxford Union at Oxford University on Nov 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
This handout picture taken on Oct 24, 2012 and received by AFP from Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei shows Ai Weiwei (centre left) dancing his version of the Gangnam Style hit by South Korean rapper Psy, with his friend Zuoxiao Zuzhou (right) in Beijing. -- PHOTO: AFP
South Korean rapper Psy poses with tv anchor Sebastien Cauet (left) before performing Gangnam Style in front of a crowd during a flashmob on Nov 5, 2012 in Paris. -- PHOTO: AFP
Philippine convicts dance to the tune of the horse-riding dance Gangnam Style made famous by South Korean rapper Psy during a performance for visitors and toruists at the Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu on Oct 27, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
People dance along to Gangnam Style during a flashmob organised at Piazza del Popolo on Nov 10, 2012 in Rome. -- PHOTO: AFP
SEOUL (AFP) - United States President Barack Obama, the mayor of London, China's top dissident artist and Madonna - every time someone signals the death of Gangnam Style up pops another high-profile figure to keep the phenomenon alive.
In the four months since the music video by South Korean rapper Psy went viral on YouTube, it has been name-checked and imitated by an impressive roster of global notables from world leaders to sports stars and business tycoons.
And the public has joined in with tens of thousands turning out for giant flashmob performances of Psy's horse-riding dance in cities like Paris and Rome.
While many believe Gangnam Style will ultimately prove to be a one-hit wonder, the song has shown surprising staying power and an unlikely ability to penetrate international corridors of power.
