AP Human Geography

The Gangnam Style video has over 2 billion hits on YouTube and has been mimicked all around the world.

Here are some videos of Gangnam Style as well as some samples from Bollywood – great for comparing pop cultural diffusion and cross influence.

Part I: Gangnam Style- The Atlantic Magazine A Social Criticism. Summarize the article and what the song is criticizing. How is Gangnam an example of popular cultural diffusion? How has it spread around the world? What type of diffusion does it illustrate? Give some examples of modifications or syncretism of the music? Questions to Ponder: Considering the concept of cultural

diffusion, what do we make of this phenomenon? What cultural combinations are seen in this? How has technological innovations changed how cultures

interact, spread and are replicated?

Gangnam Style Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Gangnam Style – English Subtitles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUk69c72UlYKim Jong Style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cG7ZVBXQII&feature=player_embedded

Gangnam Background http://mashable.com/2012/09/04/gangnam-style-infographic/

Gangnam Bollywood Parody http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgyAjbqnv8w

Bollywood song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnbau-Cj0gk

Best Bollywood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZnnjW6Jj1g

Peyton Manning Style http://soundcloud.com/larrykendallandkathie/peyton-manning-style-by-the

Mitt Romney Style (CAUTION-not appropriate for class but very good) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTCRwi71_ns

Obama Style (not bad) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zPiQgUQt3E

Part II: Read the book review of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World through Pop Culture, by Euny Hong.

Write a paragraph discussing the importance of “soft power” and the rise of Korean “pop culture”.