‘I’ll be a singer more famous than Michael Jackson’

GWANGJU ― Everybody recognized him.

On his way back home from school on Nov. 12, eight-year-old Hwang Min-woo, the boy who appeared in Psy’s “Gangnam Style” music video, was surrounded by other students who kept following him, calling him “the Gangnam Style boy” and even asking for his autograph.

Hwang Min-woo practices popping dance moves at a music institute near his home in Gwangju.

He went to school that day after a long absence. Since the song became a worldwide hit, Hwang, nicknamed “Little Psy,” was invited to appear in TV shows and events not only in Seoul but in Vietnam, the Philippines, and the U.S. Soon he will leave for Hong Kong and Britain to perform together with Psy.

“I forgot some of my classmates’ names,” Hwang said shyly. But he showed his dictation test note boastfully, in which he gained full marks. “He is better than me in Hangeul. He rather teaches me,” said his mother Vu Thi ly, a native Vietnamese.

Hwang shows a “Gangnam Style” dance move to his mother at his home. On the walls hang photos of him; a cable program in which he appeared in October is replayed on the television. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul

Even at home, Hwang didn’t stay put but kept doing dance moves. He said the larger audience he has, the more he gets excited.

“In the U.S., I thought people there might not recognize me. But they all did. After dancing in front of a large audience, they came in crowds to take photos of me. Then 10 police officers came to protect me to the hotel. I felt like I was a ‘little president,’” he said.

Students of Odung Elementary School surround Hwang on his way home after school.

Some of his “stage wardrobe” was hung on a clothesline in the balcony. “My favorite is the red suit I wore in the music video. During a recent performance, I took off the jacket and threw it to the audience, and somebody took it so I lost it.”

Although he already has great dance skills, he is attending a dance institute to learn popping dance as well as singing.

Hwang goes down the stairs in his apartment, doing the rodeo dance of “Gangnam Style.”

Hwang practiced singing singer-producer Park Jin-young’s “You’re the One.” His singing instructor had him repeat some lyrics he didn’t pronounce clearly. “He has good sense of rhythm and beat. As he’s young, it’s hard to teach him professional skills, but I think he has potential,” the instructor said.

The boy then practiced the popping dance with other trainees who are high school students. Much smaller than the others in height, but he was as serious as them in repeating and perfecting popping motions. Whenever new music was played, he showed different moves in free style.

When asked about his future dream, he said he will ― not he wishes to, but he “will” ― be a singer more famous than Psy. “I’ll be a big singer known worldwide. I’ll be greater than Michael Jackson.” <The Korea Times/Kim Rahn>