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'Gangnam Style' dominates UK chart

By Madison Park, CNN

October 2, 2012

Inmates dance 'Gangnam Style'

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• "Gangnam Style" hits top spot in UK singles chart, first for a Korean singer
• The song, made famous through Psy's viral video, is number 2 in Billboard chart
• Cebu inmates performed version of the song

(CNN) -- He horsey danced his way to the top of the UK music chart -- and U.S. domination may not be far behind.

Psy's viral "Gangnam Style" hit the top spot Sunday, marking the first time that a Korean singer has climbed the British singles chart.

In the United States, Psy remains at number 2, behind Maroon 5 in the Billboard 100 as of Monday morning. Billboard has a Psy Watch on its website, on whether he'll reach the top spot.

And this weekend, the Filipino inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, famous for their performance of Michael Jackson's"Thriller," gyrated and air lassoed their version of "Gangnam Style."

Psy brings 'Gangnam Style' to U.S.

Inmates dance 'Gangnam Style'

Psy shows off "Gangnam Style" at VMAs

Psy teaches 'Gangnam Style' dance

The catchy tune that launched what seems like a thousand parodies, has likely replaced Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" as the most lip synched song this year.

Last week, "Gangnam Style" snatched the Guinness World Record for the "most liked" YouTube video ever. It has over 335 million views and dominates the iTunes store in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and several European countries.

Tributes continue to flood YouTube with performances by the Ohio University's marching band, a Swedish flash mob and a Korean-American mother primly dancing alongside her son in what's called "Mom Gangnam Style." And yes, even a parody from the North Korean government.

Whether you're sick of "Gangnam Style" or can't get enough of it, Psy seems ubiquitous -- popping up on "Saturday Night Live" and MTV's Video Music Awards, and signing with Justin Bieber's manager.

Psy's song -- about the wannabe style of the affluent neighborhood of Gangnam in Seoul -- has been sliced and diced with theories about what it means about wealth and class in Korea, and questions about whether Psy embodies the stereotypes about Asian masculinity.

Psy is a slight departure from the usual Korean pop stars, who are typically svelte, impeccably dressed and very serious about their dance moves.

Instead, it's Psy, a portly man who likes to mimic Lady Gaga and Beyonce performances while wearing sparkly leotards, who broke into the Western pop psyche.

"I think foreigners think I'm funny, the way Korean people think Austin Powers and Mr. Bean are funny," he told CNN.