"Irony of a Wealthy Neighborhood"... Foreign Media Mention 'Gangnam Style' While Reporting on South Korea's Heavy Rain

Major Foreign Media Including BBC, Washington Post, AFP Report on Korea's Heavy Rain
Film 'Gisaengchung', Song 'Gangnam Style' Mentioned

Major foreign media outlets are also covering the heavy rain that began in the Seoul metropolitan area on the 8th. / Photo by The Washington Post

[Asia Economy Culture Young Intern Reporter] Recently, major foreign media outlets have described the heavy rain that poured down mainly in Seoul and the metropolitan area as "record-breaking rainfall," mentioning Psy's "Gangnam Style" and the movie "Parasite."

AFP, BBC, and other foreign media reported on the concentrated heavy rain that fell on the central region of the Korean Peninsula, including Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi, on the 9th (local time), stating, "The heaviest rainfall in 80 years struck the capital of South Korea."

On the 9th, most of the pavement blocks in front of Sindebang Station in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, were washed away due to heavy rain. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Washington Post (WP) reported, "Since Korea began weather observations, Seoul has recorded the worst rainfall," and Bloomberg also reported, "Heavy rain caused some subways and buses to stop, paralyzing transportation, and there have been deaths and missing persons."

AFP focused on the flooding in the Gangnam area of Seoul, which suffered significant damage. AFP mentioned Gangnam as the area featured in Psy's 2012 K-pop hit "Gangnam Style," describing it as "a luxurious and wealthy area in the southern part of Seoul." They added, "It is ironic that Gangnam, well-developed as the economic center, is so vulnerable to natural disasters."

On the morning of the 9th, citizens are going back and forth on the platform of Seoul Subway Line 7 Isu Station, where the ceiling collapsed due to heavy rain damage. [Image source=Yonhap News]

BBC explained that domestic media and netizens shared videos of the scene on social networking services (SNS), showing "water gushing up the subway stairs and parked cars being submerged." They also reported on the news of a family of three who died in a flooded building in Gwanak-gu, stating, "They lived in a 'banjiha' apartment located below the street made famous by the Oscar-winning Korean film 'Parasite.'"

Meanwhile, foreign media expressed concerns that the record-breaking heavy rain would continue due to abnormal weather patterns. They analyzed, "More rain is forecast in the central region, including Seoul, until the 10th," and "As summers lengthen due to climate change, rainfall is increasing sharply, and heavy rainfalls are occurring more frequently." WP also stated, "Such heavy rain phenomena are happening worldwide," adding, "Global warming causes warmer air to hold more moisture, which can produce heavy precipitation."