A rapidly spreading viral sensation is debunking negative stereotypes of MIT students as boring. In a matter of days, MIT has received more than four million hits on their version of the popular "Gangnam Style."
The original song, produced in South Korea, has made it big in the United States, with people everywhere mimicking its signature galloping dance move. The MIT parody starts at the school's numerical "Alchemist" statue and makes its way throughout campus, featuring multiple student groups and professors. Among them is Noam Chomsky, the renowned linguist and political activist. In his seven-second cameo, Chomsky takes a drink from his coffee cup before reciting "Oppan Chomsky style." Professor Eric Lander, who played an instrumental role in the Human Genome project, also makes an appearance; in the video, he dances and jumps on top of his desk with the lead singer, Richard Yoon '13. Eddie Ha '13 edited and directed the short.
As it turns out, Harvard is brewing a similar project of its own. Karen K. Y. Kim '13 says that the Korean Association is working on something, but shhh....it's on the down low. Until then, we tip our hat off to you, MIT. Well done—well done, indeed.
CORRECTION: Nov. 7, 2012
An earlier version of this post said that the lead singer was Eddie Ha. Instead, the lead singer is Richard Yoon.