Psy at Q102’s Jingle Ball 2012 (LDR / Splash News)
Before Psy became an international singing sensation with his infectious hit “Gangnam Style,” the Korean rapper sang about “slowly and painfully” killing American soldiers.
Psy, who recently earned the title of most-watched YouTube video of all time, protested the presence of 37,000 US troops in Korea during a 2002 concert, according to reports.
WATCH: PSY SMASHES COPY OF US TANK AT CONCERT
AUDIO: PSY’S ANTI-AMERICAN RAP (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE)
WATCH: THE BEST OF ‘GANGNAM STYLE’ 2012
Wearing a red cape and gold face paint, he smashes a toy American tank on the ground while belting out his rap-rock song “Killer.” Psy went on to beat the toy with his microphone stand into pieces to the excitement of the crowd.
“Killer,” as described by the Korea Herald, “makes a mockery of the brutal law of the jungle when big guys can bully the weak for anything.”
The performance was in response to the 2002 death of two Korean school girls, who were killed in an accident with an American military vehicle outside of Seoul, according to Korean Web site BusanHaps. The soldiers driving the tank were acquitted by a US military court.
According to the Korea Herald, anti-American sentiment ignited after their deaths, and one of the most outspoken critics in the local entertainment industry was Psy.
Mediaite reports a second incident in 2004 after a South Korean missionary was executed in Iraq – an act of revenge for the country’s support of the U.S. war in Iraq – Psy performed an anti-America song with another popular Korean rock band.
In the heavy metal “Dear America,” there are sounds of gunshots, explosions and guttural deathcore screams throughout.
Some of the “Dear American” lyrics he rapped: “Kill those [bleep]ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives / Kill those [bleep]ing Yankees who ordered them to torture / Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers / Kill them all slowly and painfully.”
The rapper issued an apology in a lengthy statement released today:
“As a proud South Korean who was educated in the United States and lived there for a very significant part of my life, I understand the sacrifices American servicemen and women have made to protect freedom and democracy in my country and around the world. The song I featured on in question from eight years ago – was part of a deeply emotional reaction to the war in Iraq and the killing of two Korean schoolgirls that was part of the overall antiwar sentiment shared by others around the world at that time. While I’m grateful for the freedom to express one’s self, I’ve learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I’m deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted. I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words.
“I have been honored to perform in front of American soldiers in recent months – including an appearance on the Jay Leno show specifically for them- and I hope they and all Americans can accept my apology. While it’s important that we express our opinions, I deeply regret the inflammatory and inappropriate language I used to do so. In my music, I try to give people a release, a reason to smile. I have learned that thru music, our universal language we can all come together as a culture of humanity and I hope that you will accept my apology.”
Psy has appeared on many outlets after the debut of his hit song, including the American Music Awards last month. As the most downloaded song on iTunes (3 million) and the most-viewed video in YouTube history, it’s earned him more than $8 million, according to some estimates by Hollywood Reporter.