‘Gangam Style’ star Psy faces criticism for water deluges at concerts amid Korea’s recent drought

The Korean peninsula has faced drought conditions in the past year

“Gangnam Style” pop star Psy has reportedly faced criticism in his native South Korea over the vast amounts of water used at his shows amid drought conditions in the country.

During a talk show appearance last month, the singer said that some of his concerts in Korea this summer will use about 300 tons of water to spray the audience, the Korean newspaper, Korea JoongAng Daily, reported on Monday.

“We spend a lot to buy all that water,” he reportedly told the news site.

His comments subsequently attracted criticism on social media and in domestic news outlets in the country, according to the outlet, as the Korean peninsula has faced drought conditions in the past year.

Since 2011, Psy has staged shows where the audience gets soaked in water, according to reports. However the gigs have been shelved since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. While initially faring better than most other countries, South Korea saw a massive spike in Covid cases earlier this year, though numbers have dropped during spring.

The pop star, whose Gangnam Style song was a global hit in 2012, has two water concerts scheduled for August in the Korean capital, Seoul.

The massive amount of water is being used to promote the shows with quotes like “it will make you wonder if we scooped up the Han River,” according to Korea JoongAng Daily. This story was first reported in the US by Insider.

The Independent has contacted Psy’s US and Korean record labels for comment.

A 2020 report from South Korea’s Ministry of Environment found that while rainfall had generally increased over the preceding three decades, so had the “frequency and intensity” of droughts in the country.

In addition, a 2015 study found that some higher-emissions scenarios could result in an increased impact of drought in South Korea as the climate crisis accelerates.