PSY walks down to a press conference held at Seoul's Ramada Hotel on the day of his return from the United States, September 25, 2012. [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Many overseas fans might know PSY as only “Gangnam Style” singer. However, the singer has been already a household name in Korea for a long time. During his 11 year-long music career, he has kept surprising the public in many ways.

Here are some hidden stories about PSY and his friends that would help you to better understand how the chubby singer grew up as an internationally acclaimed singer overnight.

PSY's hero, Freddie Mercury
When PSY was a 15-year-old boy, he listened to Queen's hit song "Bohemian Rhapsody" for the first time. Since then, the boy started to dream of being a singer like the lead vocalist of the band, Freddie Mercury.

The "Gangnam Style" singer shot to stardom in Korea thanks to his powerful performance, inspired by Mercury's explosive stage manner. As he has a compulsive need to make his concert perfect like Queen, he often put on a ventilator at backstage during his three hour-long concerts.

Korean singer Kim Jang-hoon poses in his official picture. [Kim's official website]

Teacher and rival, Kim Jang-hoon
Meanwhile, there is another veteran Korean singer who directly helped PSY when it comes to quality of performance. That is rock-ballad singer Kim Jang-hoon, nicknamed "the emperor of concerts" in Korea.

PSY and Kim first met in 2003 as a singer and a producer. Kim took charge of PSY's exclusive concert as an executive producer. After successfully wrapping up the concert, PSY began to apply the performing techniques he learned from Kim to his own concerts. That caused the senior singer to upset which caused the two not to talk to each other between 2004 and 2006 as they were in intense competition for the quality of their own concerts.

In 2009, the twosome reconciled with each other and co-hosted collaboration concerts. However, they recently went through a big conflict again in October after Kim argued that PSY allegedly stole Kim's directing styles and ideas for concerts. Kim posted some messages on his social networking service account implying that he would commit suicide by taking pills.

Fortunately, the two acclaimed musicians soon reaffirmed their friendship by drinking a bottle of soju [Korean Vodka] in a stage.

A cover photo for PSY's debut album "Psy From The Psycho World," dropped on November 20, 2001. [DePassion]

Bird, smash-hit track of 2001
PSY broke into the music scene in earlier 2001 with debut song “Bird.” His eccentric concept was sensational among the critics and viewers in Korea since the K-pop world back then were only full of ballads or dance songs. Thanks to the artist's comic moves and lyrics, he started to be nicknamed as a 'bizarre literature' and his catchy music has been considered as irreplaceable one in the local music scene even until now.

Drug
Soon after he stood at the height of his popularity with "Bird," he was arrested for drug abuse in November of 2001. "If someone suddenly shot to fame, he or she is easy to get so insane. After the drug incident, my fan club members decreased from 80,000 to 800. I was just 25 years old at that time. I had time for self-restraint and self-reflection for a long time," the mischievous singer confessed during an interview with a Korean broadcast.

PSY kisses his Best Video award backstage during the MTV European Music Awards 2012 show at the Festhalle in Frankfurt on November 11, 2012. [REUTERS/Lisi Niesner]

2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan
After public furor mounted over his drug incident, he couldn't get an opportunity to sing a song for a while. However, the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan, the biggest competition event of national soccer teams, gave PSY a chance to return to the music scene.

The passionate singer was the only proper person to heighten the fever of the World Cup even higher. Thanks to his powerful cheerleading performance during the World Cup held in Korea, he could make his appearance in the small screen again and got inspiration to write and compose "Champion," one of his smash-hit songs.

Army service, biggest-ever crisis of PSY
In 2003, PSY was enlisted in the South Korean military as part of compulsory military service. He legally substituted mandatory military duty by working at a software developing company and was expected to be released from duties in 2005.

In 2007, however, Korean state prosecutors accused PSY for 'neglecting' his work by holding concerts and appearing on local television networks during his employment period. In October 2007, the Seoul Administrative Court decided that PSY must be redrafted. He could not help restarting the military service two months later.

PSY (left) and Korea's TV personality Noh Hong-chul (right) pose together in a photo taken for special compliation album of MBC variety show "Infinite Challenge," dropped on July 2, 2011. [MBC]

MBC's variety show program "Infinite Challenge"
After his second military service, PSY fell into a big slump just like when he got free after the drug accident. In 2011, however, he grabbed a chance to be in the limelight of the public again -- starring in "Infinite Challenge."

The variety show, one of the most popular comedy programs in Korea, hosted the summer song festival last year and PSY paired with Korean TV personality Noh Hong-chul (So-called 'elevator guy' starring in "Gangnam Style" music video) for "Shake It" composed and written by the singer.

As the exciting track drew in much attention from the public here, PSY could overcome one of his biggest crises in his lifetime and get a chance to release his new full-length album again.

YG Entertainment C.E.O Yang Hyun-suk smiles during the press conference of upcoming singing competition show "KPOP STAR 2," held at SBS in Western Seoul, Korea on November 9, 2012. [Chae Ki-won/ 10Asia]

Yang Hyun-suk, YG Entertainment C.E.O
When PSY claimed his first-ever win on a televised music show with debut single "Bird" in 2001, he beat off Jinusean, a popular hip-hop duo under YG Entertainment. There PSY and Yang Hyun-suk had first encountered.

While Yang helped a lot PSY to overcome a slump after his army service incident, PSY finally signed a contract with YG, the music house of Big Bang and WNE1 one of the biggest agencies here in Korea.

C.E.O and producer Yang took charge of a music video for "Gangnam Style," which helped PSY to go viral in the world. The chubby singer said that Yang is one of his role models because PSY hopes to be a famed music producer like the YG's head.

Yoo Gun-hyung and Lee Joo-seon, hidden helper of "Gangnam Style" sensation
Yoo Gun-hyung is a former member of K-pop idol duo Untitle which made their debut in 1996. Yoo and PSY have been teaming up for making songs together since 2006. PSY usually writes lyrics of his own songs by himself but has kept cooperating with Yoo when it comes to composition.

The pair has co-produced PSY's big hit songs such as "Entertainer," "Father," "We Are the One" and "Gangnam Style." They also have composed many popular songs of other Korean musicians -- Lee Seung-gi's "Because You're My Girl," Seo In-young's "Cinderella" and DJ DOC's "I'm a Guy Like This."

Working with PSY since 2004, Lee Joo-seon is a choreographer of "Gangnam Style," featuring the funny horse-riding dance. Yoo, Lee and PSY are preparing new composition and choreography for PSY which will probably succeed to "Gangnam Style" sensation.


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10 아시아 Reporter : Lee Tae Ho myenclaves@
10 아시아 Editor : Kim Joo-hyun monicasuk@
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