Gangnam style: Goofy satire of Korea’s high life

first published on The Philippine Online Chronicles

So you have probably seen the viral goofy horse dance video on Youtube. It’s undeniably hilarious, its beat catchy. But what about the message? The lyrics may seem repetitive, but PSY’s Youtube hit is actually a funny jab on the lifestyle of the rich.

But in a culture industry where form sells over content, can the song’s satire cut through the mind of the millions who viewed it?

“Gangnam Style” is poised to make it to the circle of most viewed videos on Youtube, raking in over 260 million views on Youtube (as of posting time) in just a matter of weeks. Last week, it nailed down the Guiness World Record for being the most liked video on Youtube.

It also broke into a number of foreign music hit charts, from the US to Germany – a feat unparalleled by other contemporary K-pop singles. Its global contagion can be best seen in flash mobs doing the horse dance in Times Square, or in the opposite light, in thedeadly dance showdown in Bangkok.

Aside from hooking millions into its catchy beat, PSY’s hit single has generated curiosity over “Gangnam,” which is actually Seoul’s poshest district.

Gangnam what?

When the 34-year-old PSY (Park Jae-sang) showcases the yoga classes and tennis courts in the dance video, he is giving a glimpse of the luxuries in Gangnam that are far from reach of average Koreans.

Formerly a flat farmland, the Seoul district grew into what is now the neighborhood of the wealthiest in South Korea, thanks to a real estate investment boom in the early 2000s.

“From the video, most people can gather that Gangnam has some happening clubs and swank amenities – but its real estate is also the most expensive in the nation (at roughly $14,000 per pyong, or 3.3 square meters) and, although just 15 square miles, more valuable than all of the real estate in Korea’s second largest city of Busan,” Sukjong Hong wrote in Open City.

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[INFOGRAPHIC] PCOS machine errors: Why we should be worried

Will all our votes really count in the upcoming 2013 midterm elections? The errors of the precint count optical scan (PCOS) machine during the July 2012 demo tell us not to be too optimistic. 

Flood-proofing PH: Creating rainwater harvest systems

first published on Blogwatch.ph

Early this month, we were reminded how vulnerable our cities and towns are to flooding as Habagat” rains inundated Metro Manila and other provinces in Luzon. It was a painful reminder, as 95 people died(mostly due to drowning) and total cost of damages to infrastructure and agriculture reached more than P2 billion. Flood solutions were soon proposed by individuals coming from various disciplines. But will the government take them seriously this time?

So far, the Aquino administration has vowed to “blast” homes built along canals and other waterways – a harsh proposal that was expectedly slammed by urban poor groups. Officials have also proposed flood control projects including huge dikes and upgrade of sewerage systems. They must be reminded though that there are less violent, less costly and more sustainable ways to address the flooding problem.

Among the sustainable solutions which the government can pursue is the creation of rainwater harvest systems at different levels and settings. Such idea was tackled by environmental lawyer and advocate Antonio Oposa Jr. in his Facebook note. Oposa said that the government should turn vacant spaces into ponds, water reservoirs, and lakes where excess rainwater can flow.

Simply catch rain

His idea goes like this: dig a hole on low-lying areas where excess water can flow, put water lilies and populate the resulting pond with fish, and voila! – flooding is mitigated while ecosystem integrity is ensured.

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