New York City Goes Gangnam Style: PSY Rocks the ‘Today’ Show

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Proving just how deeply PSY has pervaded our global consciousness, the Today show extended their Summer Concert Series by a week just to splice in the Korean pop singer behind the greatest invisible horse-riding rap video we’ve ever seen. PSY appeared Friday on the NBC morning show after spending the better part of the week in New York City.

And sure enough, PSY commanded the stage, dressed to impress in a lime-green tuxedo. A crowd of eager fans – many appearing to be of Korean descent or from elsewhere in Asia — flooded the Rockefeller Plaza for the early-morning performance. Some waved Korean flags and held signs, but mainly, they braced for the invisible-horse dance. Passers-by stopped to watch as the song reverberated through midtown Manhattan. “I just uploaded this video only for the Korean viewers,” PSY said in a sit-down interview before he took the stage. “And within 60 days, I’m here.”

By NewsFeed’s estimate, thousands of fans were packed between the barriers to catch a glimpse of the 34-year-old Korean rap star, although with so many people packed in so tightly it was a little tough to do the invisible-horse dance. But hundreds of fans streamed out of the plaza after the initial performance of “Gangnam Style,” clearly content to have laid eyes on PSY but unwilling to see what else he had in store.

(WATCH: PSY Brings ‘Gangnam Style’ to Dodger Stadium)

Which is too bad, really, because after his initial performance, he gave another, slower performance, teaching the Today hosts and the gathered crowd how to do the four-step dance that’s stormed the world. Donning PSY-style dark shades, everybody joined in — even fill-in host David Gregory, who probably doesn’t get to dance much in his regular gig as moderator of NBC’s Sunday morning wonkfest Meet the Press.

“Gangnam Style”, released in July, has become the most-viewed K-pop song on YouTube and is still netting around six million views every day — outdoing even this summer’s ubiquitous Carly Rae Jepsen earworm “Call Me Maybe” in terms of viral success.

Earlier this week on the Ellen show, Psy seemed psyched to show pop idol (and current X-Factor host) Britney Spears how to dance. Brit, we suggest next time you let down the beehive, skip the 4-inch heels, and truly embrace the tacky style of Gangnam.

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MORE: Selling ‘Gangnam Style’: Why K-Pop and Commercials Are a Perfect Match