Psy announced the coming of his summer concert, "Summer Swag," this month. However, with the show's theme, splashing concertgoers with 300 tons of water per show, the "That That" hitmaker is now facing criticisms amid the ongoing drought in South Korea.
After three years, "Summer Swag" will finally take place. The summer concert leaves fans soaking wet after the show as Psy usually sprays people with water while playing festive playlists and performing.
Sure, fans are all excited about the news, but the announcement is met with criticisms, per AllKpop. It may have stemmed from the 44-year-old performer's revelation on the May 4 episode of MBC's "Radio star," where he said he buys drinkable water to shower people with for his concert.
His concert uses 300 tons of drinkable water per show, delivered by water trucks. With the current drought that South Korea is experiencing, some suggest that he shall come up with another idea to celebrate his concert this year instead of continuing its usual theme.
The "Summer Swag" show is Psy's "representative brand concert" that began in 2011, per KpopStarz. It's one of the most famous shows in the country during the summer season.
Meanwhile, it has been ten years since "Gangnam Style" became a global phenomenon. Now, the hitmaker behind the song is living his best life.
He's proud of his "greatest trophy" and despite the need to surpass his own success, he feels no pressure from it.
"Gangnam Style" was uploaded on YouTube in July 2012 and instantly became a runaway hit. Its trademark dance spawned thousands of "imitations, spoofs and spinoffs."
It was the first video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views and Psy himself received global recognition. The song's popularity even brought him everywhere, from sharing the stage with Madonna to performing in front of former U.S. President Barack Obama.
However, the song's success is said to be like a double-edged sword, as it comes with pressure for him to deliver another hit. In fact, Psy said it was "one of the most difficult periods of his life."
However, in his interview with AFP, via France24, it had been a decade ago, so he now felt "free," though he admitted to having a huge dependency on it. The song didn't only transform his career but also the music industry.
It proved that even an artist who's not performing in English could drive the attention of an international audience. It also changed how music charts worked, making Billboard take YouTube views and streams into account.
Psy's "Summer Swag" tickets will begin on sale on June 18 at 8 p.m. KST on Interpark Tickets.
