Rapper Psy becomes first South Korean to score UK number one hit with Gangnam Style

By JENNIFER COCKERELL
Published on 01/10/2012 00:00

Rapper Psy has become the first South Korean musician to make it to number one in the UK with his single Gangnam Style.

The pop track broke into the top 40 two weeks ago at number 37, four weeks after its release, and has been climbing steadily since ending up at number three in last week’s chart.

The video that accompanies the single has amassed more than 253 million views in just two months and became the most ‘liked’ video of all time on YouTube.

Psy, who is already an established star in South Korea having released six albums, taught Britney Spears his dance moves on US TV show Ellen earlier this month.

The track knocked last week’s number one, Irish band The Script, off the top spot to number two with their single Hall of Fame, featuring Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

Meanwhile, folk four-piece Mumford & Sons have gone straight to the top of the top 40 album chart with their new 
release Babel. It follows their 2009 award-winning debut, Sigh No More, which also reappears in the top 40 this week at number ten.

The number two spot is also taken by a new entry – punk rockers Green Day.

The Californian act, who first enjoyed mainstream success in the mid-Nineties, stormed into second place with Uno, the first of a trilogy of albums with Dos and Tre to follow soon.