Table Of Content“The book addresses the racially, sexually, and culturally contex-
tualized expressions of theology by interrogating the recent
popularity of Korean artist Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style.’ The authors
claim that Psy’s ‘success’ in the US is not only due to the non-
threat that his ‘Gangnam Style’ poses upon the ‘centralism’ of the
racialized white American culture but also it has as much to say
about the racialized US society.
Cheah and Kim then explore the subject of Jung Young Lee’s
‘marginality’ in order to provide a fresh and insightful perspective
into the previous theological discussions on ‘center’ and ‘margin.’
Instead of bifurcating these two terms into polar opposites, they
see the interactive dynamics of the two. … The authors’ power
analysis of ‘marginal centrality’ is insightful and has not been
articulated before. This concise book is a refreshingly important
contribution to the current state of public theology from the
perspective of Asian American theologians, a perspective that
has rarely been heard before.”
— Fumitaka Matsuoka, Pacific School of Religion, USA.
“Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Joseph Cheah disclose their extraordinary
and amazing insights on racialized and sexualized Asian Ameri-
can history in light of Psy’s song ‘Gangnam Style.’ Reading this
book will open readers’ eyes and will deepen their self-identity.”
— Andrew Sung Park, Professor of Theology and Ethics at
United Theological Seminary, USA, and the author of
Racial Conflict & Healing
“Professors Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Joseph Cheah rapidly initi-
ate readers into the world of Asian theology by focusing their
analytic power on the phenomenon of Psy’s song ‘Gangnam
Style,’ an internet sensation, which may reveal more about the
cultural dynamics of ‘being Asian’ in a Western context than ‘we’
wanted to know. The authors turn the video back on its consum-
ers to reveal a conflicted yet absorbing relationship with Asian
images and stereotypes.”
— Michael T. McLaughlin, Associate Professor, Department of
Theology, Philosophy and Religion, Saint Leo University, USA,
and Past President Society of Hindu-Christian Studies.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0001
Asian Christianity in the Diaspora
Series Editors: Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Joseph Cheah
Asian American theology is still in its nascent stage. It began in the 1980s with just a handful of
scholars who were recent immigrants to the United States. Now with the rise in Asian American
population and the rise of Asian American theologians, this new community is an important
voice within theological discourse and Asian American cultural studies.
This new series brings to the forefront some of the important, provocative new voices within
Asian American theology. The series aims to provide Asian American theological responses to
the complex process of migration and resettlement process of Asian immigrants and refugees.
It will address theoretical works on the meaning of diaspora, exile, and social memory, and the
foundational works concerning the ways in which displaced communities remember and narrate
their experiences. Such an interdisciplinary approach entails intersectional analysis between
Asian American contextual theology and one other factor, be it, sexuality, gender, race/ethnicity,
and/or cultural studies.
This series also addresses Christianity from Asian perspectives. We welcome manuscripts that
examine the identity and internal coherence of the Christian faith in its encounters with differ-
ent Asian cultures, with Asian people, the majority of whom are poor, and with non-Christian
religions that pervade the landscape of the Asian continent.
Palgrave Macmillan is embarking on a transformation of discourse within Asian and Asian
American theological scholarship and this will be the first of its kind. As we live in a global world
in which Christianity has recentered itself in the Global South and among the racialized minori-
ties in the United States, it behooves us to listen to the rich, diverse and engaging voices of Asian
and Asian American theologians.
Titles include:
Joseph Cheah and Grace Ji-Sun Kim
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON “GANGNAM STYLE”
A Racial, Sexual, and Cultural Critique
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0001
Theological Reflections
on “Gangnam Style”:
A Racial, Sexual, and
Cultural Critique
Joseph Cheah
Associate Professor of Comparative
Theology,University of Saint Joseph, USA
Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Visiting Researcher,Georgetown University, USA
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0001
theological reflections on “gangnam style”
Copyright © Joseph Cheah and Grace Ji-Sun Kim, 2014.
Soffftcoverreprint off thehardcover 1stedition2014 978–1–137–37347–2
All rights reserved.
First published in 2014 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN®
in the United States—a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world,
this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills,
Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.
ISBN: 978–1–137–37033–4 PDF
ISBN: 978–1–349–47658–9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from
the Library of Congress.
A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library.
First edition: 2014
www.palgrave.com/pivot
doi: 10.1057/9781137370334
In Memory of
Robert Dell and Dave Moynahan
&
In Appreciation of the love and support of Theodore, Elisabeth,
Joshua, Matthew and Naomi for their continual reminder that
there is hope for the next generation of Asian Americans.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0001
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction
Laughing at Psy
Laughing with Psy
Theology of Marginalization
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
vi DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0001
Acknowledgments
As the music video “Gangnam Style” took the world by
storm, we became awestruck at this big phenomenon.
There has never been an Asian singer who was able to
capture the American audience as Psy was able to do. To
our great surprise, we could not believe that an Asian
male singer was able to cross over to the mainstream of
American audience. This phenomenon kept coming back
to gnaw at our theological imagination. It provoked many
long and interesting conversations between us as we tried
to make sense of “Gangnam Style’s” effect on the American
music industry. This was the beginning of our journey of
how we came to co-write this book together.
As this book was being written, there are so many who
supported us along the way. First we would like to thank
our editor at Palgrave Macmillan, Burke Gerstenschlager
for trusting us and working with us to complete our book.
He is a visionary editor and understands the global aspect
of theology. So thank you for your dedication and help in
getting us started and gently urging us to finish our book.
We would also like to thank Caroline Karcunas at Palgrave
Macmillan for her patience in helping us from the start of
the project till its publication.
We would also like to thank our circle of theological
friends who encouraged us as we wrote and researched for
our book. We thank Kwok Pui Lan, Anselm Min, Donald
K. McKim, Sharon Suh, Jane Iwamura, Christopher Chua,
and Jeffrey Kuan. It is wonderful to be part of a community
of friends and scholars who mentor, encourage and support
us along the way. We also want to acknowledge Barbara
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0002 vii
viii Acknowledgments
Lucia and Grace’s research assistant Bruce Marold for reading parts of the
manuscript.
We would like to acknowledge M. Emma Makinen for editing parts
of the final manuscript which helped shape the overall lens of this book.
Her innate ability to see the larger picture has assisted in the final draft
of Chapter 2. She would like to acknowledge three of her most profound
mentors, Catherine Hoyser, Judith Perkins, Joseph Cheah, and also her
daughter and, partner, Olivia Katelin Anderson and Frederic Scott Fox.
Grace would like to thank Peter Phan for working with her as she
continues to be a Visiting Researcher at Georgetown University. His
strong support, encouragement and understanding have made it possi-
ble for her to finish her research and writing of this book. Furthermore,
there is always family who stand by to help write. Grace is thankful
to her father, sister, Karen, brother-in-law, Bruce and their children,
Matthew and Naomi. She is also grateful to her husband, Perry for his
constant support and encouragement in all of her theological endeavors.
He was able to take on more of the “chauffeuring” roles to offer her more
time to writing and research. She is also deeply thankful to her three
children, Theodore, Elisabeth and Joshua for their unconditional care
and love. They often provided the subtle but much appreciated encour-
agement that was necessary during the difficult time of writing. Without
their daily reassurance and support, this book would not not have been
completed.
Joe is grateful to the University of Saint Joseph for providing a sabbati-
cal to complete this project. He is very thankful toJack and Marcia Young
for providing him with a “home” and a space so that this project would
have a primacy of place on his list of priorities. He is deeply appreciative
of Father Robert Dell and Dave Moynahan, who left us to the eternal
kin-dom this year, for the influences they had in Joe’s professional and
ministerial life. They were followers of Christ who beheld the grace
behind their callings in life by sometimes evoking the dangerous
memory of Jesus.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0002
Introduction
Abstract: Psy (Park Jae-sang) is the first Asian singer to
break into the mainstream of the American music market.
There are many opinions about the breakout success of
“Gangnam Style.” Some believe that Psy is a phenomenon
at what he does because he has the skills and know-how
to put together a music video and a dance routine. Others
have a negative opinion that Psy was successful because
he seemed to fit into the stereotypes of the Asian male
that the American media and entertainment industry
have perpetuated. The popularity of “Gangnam Style”
on the American scene has as much to say about our
racialized society as it does about Psy. This book provides
a theological analysis of the historical, social, and cultural
implications of the music video “Gangnam Style” and
tackles the pressing issues of hegemonic masculinity,
racialized bodies, mimicry, and racism.
Cheah, Joseph and Grace Ji-Sun Kim. Theological
Reflections on “Gangnam Style”: A Racial, Sexual, and
Cultural Critique. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.
doi: 10.1057/9781137370334.0003.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137370334.0003
