Are you cute enough for “Gwiyomi”?

By Elizabeth Soh | Singapore Showbiz – Mon, Apr 8, 2013 12:24 PM SGT

BtoB's Ilhoon popularised the "Gwiyomi" song on a variety show (Youtube screengrab)

Hot on the heels of the viral phenomenon that was PSY's "Gangnam" style are the new saccharine sweet 귀요미, or "Gwiyomi" videos - the latest infectious K-pop trend to hit Asia.

Those who can't stand anything cutesy or fluffy might want to stop reading now - the "Gwiyomi" singalong song drips with bucketfuls of Korean 애교 /"aegyo" (cuteness) sweet enough to cause a toothache.

But if you're still curious - check out this video of K-pop stars performing the "Gwiyomi" dance:

But what exactly is the Gwiyomi song about?

Its basically a cutesy song about a Korean girl's adorable love for her boyfriend and how she wants him to promise that they will be together forever (via a pinky promise), ending with six kisses - one for each finger and thumb.

The repititive lyrics mimic a child's nursery rhyme and go like this: "One plus one is cute, two plus two is still cute, three plus three is also cute, etc", accompanied by numbered hand signs.

Cutesy hand signs yet unknown to mankind appear as Gwiyomi video makers get creative and add their own spin on it - from pouting and cupping their chins to pretending to be cute bunnies and kittens. The more fluff, the better.

 
The "Gwiyomi Dance" guide shows you exactly how to get started (Internet screengrab)

The Gwiyomi song first made it's debut early this year as a digital single by singer Hari but did not gain fame (or notoriety) until K-pop boyband BtoB rapper Ilhoon made his own rendition of the song-and-dance on variety show "Diary Many".

His video quickly went viral and soon, virtually every K-pop idol group member - from SNSD, Super Junior, EXO, and Miss A to Big Bang and Sistar had taken part in the craze as a "Gwiyomi Player"

The craze has caught on here in Singapore after sweeping Thailand by storm, with local bloggers making videos of their own versions of the Gwiyomi song.

Watch local "ulzzang" bloggers Yutaki and Miyake's version of the Gwiyomi song below:

Responses from netizens and K-pop fans have been mixed - with some saying that it's nothing new and others calling it a harmless fun fad.

"Maybe it seems a bit too cutesy in the Singapore context, but in South Korea, where it's very common for girl friends to be 'aegyo' and act adorable, its just a fun song that they perform for their boyfriends," said

K-pop fan Lesley Goh, 19, who enjoys watching the videos.

"Of course, you have to be cute - or you'll just be fail."

Wee Xiao Hui, 23, told Yahoo! SG that she felt it wasn't anything new.

"The Taiwanese have been doing cutesy numbered hand signs and expressions for since years ago - so this is nothing new. I'm sure people will get bored of it soon - especially if you're not a teenager," said the marketing manager.

What do you think of the Gwiyomi song? Adorable or Annoying?



- wong chee tat :)