What Is the Gangnam Style AI Trend? The 'Open Gangnam Style' Trio, Explained

TL;DR — The Gangnam Style AI trend is an October 2026 video format. Three friends take turns at one phone's selfie camera on a street at night, singing along to PSY's 2012 song "Gangnam Style". It started with a real 21-second selfie reel posted on TikTok on October 5, 2026, and it had 19.6 million views by October 28. From October 19, AI remakes put new people and film-character trios into the same turns, and you can make your own from one to three photos on Seadanse's Gangnam Style AI.

If you've watched these clips, you've probably wondered what's real and what isn't. Under a Russian tutorial, a viewer asked, "Это ИИ да?" (Russian for "This is AI, right?", 91 likes). Another viewer asked under a TikTok version, "هذه صحي لو ذكاء" (Arabic for "is this real or AI?", 23 likes).

The song is from 2012, so why is it back in every feed at once in October 2026?

We'll show you where the trend came from, what happens in it shot by shot, and how you can join it with your friends.

What Is the Gangnam Style AI Trend?

The Gangnam Style AI trend is a selfie video format where three friends take turns singing "Gangnam Style" into one phone held at arm's length. It's filmed on a city street or square at night.

Here's what every version has:

• The phone holder: one friend holds the phone at arm's length on the front camera, sings into it up close and opens and closes the video.
• The two friends: the other two dance small behind, one on each side, with a raised fist or an arm thrown high.
• The turns: the camera swings from the phone holder to the friend on the left, then to the friend on the right, each alone for a few seconds. Then it swings back to the selfie.
• The song: PSY's "Gangnam Style" (2012) plays under the whole video.

People also call it Open Gangnam Style, Oppa Gangnam Style or the Gangnam Style trio.

Add your photo to the Gangnam Style AI video maker and you're the one holding the phone.

Where the Gangnam Style AI Trend Came From

The Gangnam Style AI trend started with a real 21-second selfie reel posted on TikTok by @emiliyyam on October 5, 2026.

You see three young women on a night street in Gangnam, Seoul, with Korean flags on the lamp posts. They take turns at one front camera. The caption read "gangnam style in gangnam".

We checked the numbers on October 28, 2026, and they're huge:

• Views: 19.6 million views shows how fast the original clip spread across feeds worldwide.
• Likes: 3.1 million likes tells you millions of viewers enjoyed the trio's street performance.
• Comments: 13,400 comments tells you people had plenty to say about the Seoul night footage.
• Shares: 202,900 shares means people weren't just watching, they were sending it to their friends.

The reel's wide, 1920 by 1080 (the wide frame of a phone held sideways).

Real remakes followed within days. On October 9, 2026, @annestakim posted "Gangnam style in Almaty", which collected 4.5 million views and 483,600 likes. On October 22, 2026, @kari_snap posted a mall version with three women that gathered 3.3 million views and 429,700 likes.

What Happens in a Gangnam Style AI Trend Video, Shot by Shot

The version most remakes follow runs about 14 seconds in four shots. They're joined by three whip pans (a fast swing of the camera that blurs the picture between two shots).

Here's what you'll see, shot by shot:

• Shot 1, the selfie (0 to 4.6 seconds): the phone holder sings into the phone at arm's length with her mouth wide open. She pulls the phone in close, sings in close-up and winks at about 3.5 seconds, while the two friends dance small behind, one on each side.
• Shot 2, the friend on the left (4.7 to 7.8 seconds): after a whip pan left, the friend on the left is alone, seen from the knees up. She sings to the lens with a hand on her chest, sways, runs a hand through her hair and shimmies.
• Shot 3, the friend on the right (8.0 to 11.5 seconds): after a whip pan right, the friend on the right spins in with a big hair flip. She sings, flips her hair again and points straight at the lens.
• Shot 4, back to the selfie (11.6 to 14 seconds): after a whip pan back, the phone holder is up close again. She points a finger at the lens while singing, and ends on a big smile.

The set's a big city square at night, with grey brick tiles, ornate lamp posts with clusters of white globe lamps and lit palace-like buildings across the far side.

The first reel ran 21 seconds and ended with all three back together waving.

How the Gangnam Style AI Trend Went From Real to AI

The Gangnam Style AI trend turned into an AI trend on October 19, 2026. That's two weeks after the first reel.

Here's how it spread:

• The Telegram template: creators generated clips using a "GANGNAM STYLE TREND" template in a Russian-language Telegram bot where you send three character photos, and it keeps the original square. That led to @bikonyavamm's version with Turkish actors that reached 3.6 million views and 281,600 likes.
• The film-character trios: the account @yapayzekaserisi redrew the scene with cinema casts, starting with @yapayzekaserisi's "Hogwarts Gamgamstyle Night" at 1.3 million views and 222,900 likes. Then came "The Lord Of The Rings Gamgamstyle" at 1.1 million views and "Tobey x Andrew x Tom. Gangnam Style" at 676,300 views.
• The first CapCut AI template: BatToS built "Gangnam style Trend" on October 19, 2026, as a CapCut template (an edit someone built in the CapCut app, with a slot for your photo). It ran 14 seconds, wide, and reached 6,547 uses on October 28.
• The one-photo CapCut template: Esme70275 created "Hh" on October 21, 2026. Its uses climbed from 1,494 on October 22 to 50,019 on October 24, 170,388 on October 26 and 235,417 on October 28. That shows how fast demand surged for a single-photo option.
• Search interest: Google Trends showed search volume for "gangnam style ai" stayed at zero until October 13, 2026, then rose steadily and peaked on October 24.

You can check which Gangnam Style CapCut template makes the trio and why it fails for so many people.

Is the Gangnam Style AI Trend Real or AI?

The first Gangnam Style AI trend reel is real phone footage, and so are the Almaty and mall remakes; the versions with new faces since October 19 are AI.

They're made by an AI that copies the turns onto new people, and often onto a new set, like Hogwarts in snow, football stadiums or an airport plaza. The Telegram-template versions keep the original square.

That visual style keeps viewers guessing. Under @john_smitt59's Spider-Man trio version, one viewer commented, "i can actually see them doing this" (359 likes). Another wrote, "I can't tell if this is AI" (346 likes).

So the answer comes down to which version you're watching.

Who People Put in the Gangnam Style Trio

You'll see almost any three-person group in the Gangnam Style trio, from people's own friends to wizards and superheroes.

Fans love dropping their favourite pop-culture groups into it:

• Film characters: you'll find scenes starring Hogwarts wizards, The Lord of the Rings casts and three Spider-Men.
• Footballers and racing drivers: sports fans place star athletes and racing rivals together on the street.
• Bollywood and Turkish-drama trios: fandoms put their favourite television leads together in the frame.
• Themselves and two friends: everyday creators bring their real friend groups into the wide video frame.

You'll see commenters asking creators to make new versions all the time. One viewer pleaded, "ختي خدميلي" (Arabic for "sis, make me one"). Other viewers don't ask for a celebrity at all, simply requesting "the left one".

Why the Gangnam Style Song Is Everywhere Again in 2026

The song "Gangnam Style" is PSY's K-pop single from July 15, 2012.

It debuted at No. 1 on South Korea's Gaon Chart and peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. On December 21, 2012 its YouTube video became the first ever to reach one billion views.

By October 28, 2026, PSY's YouTube video for the song had reached 6.1 billion views.

The name's a Korean coinage for the lifestyle of Seoul's Gangnam District. That's why the first reel's caption, "gangnam style in gangnam", is a joke.

Every trend video you'll hear uses the song itself, and the AI templates use the recording from about three minutes in.

How to Join the Gangnam Style AI Trend With Your Own Photos

You can join the Gangnam Style AI trend by adding one photo, or up to three, to Seadanse's Gangnam Style AI page and pressing Create.

Here's who goes where:

• Photo 1, the phone holder: this photo appears up close in the opening selfie and again in the closing selfie.
• Photo 2, the friend on the left: this friend dances behind in the selfies and gets the first solo turn.
• Photo 3, the friend on the right: this friend dances behind in the selfies and gets the second solo turn, with the hair flip.
• A missing friend: photos 2 and 3 are optional, so an empty slot generates a matching person, pet or character.

You'll get a 16:9 MP4 of about 20 seconds, the full trend from the first selfie to the wave goodbye, with the "Gangnam Style" song from the first second. You can export it in 480p or 720p, and there's no watermark on exported video.

You can use people 18 or older, cats and dogs, and cartoon, anime, game or superhero-style characters. A cat or a dog can hold the phone or take a solo, and it stays a real animal of its own breed. Faces, hair and outfits come from your photos.

One 720p video costs $9.90, paid once without sign-up through our credit packs. One, two or three photos cost the same.

We also broke down how to make a Gangnam Style AI video with your friends in four simple steps.

Gangnam Style AI Trend FAQ

What is the Gangnam Style AI trend called on TikTok and Instagram?

The Gangnam Style AI trend goes by several titles across social platforms. You'll also see it called Open Gangnam Style, Oppa Gangnam Style or the Gangnam Style trio.

Who started the Gangnam Style AI trend?

TikTok creator @emiliyyam started the Gangnam Style AI trend on October 5, 2026. It's a real selfie reel filmed on the streets of Gangnam, Seoul.

What moves are in the Gangnam Style AI trend?

The Gangnam Style AI trend features five core moves. You'll see singing into the lens, a wink, a hand on the chest, a hair flip and pointing at the lens.

Is the Gangnam Style song still popular in 2026?

The Gangnam Style song remains massive in 2026. PSY's YouTube video reached 6.1 billion views on October 28, 2026, and inspired this October 2026 video format.

Can I do the Gangnam Style AI trend with just one photo?

You can do the Gangnam Style AI trend with just one photo using our Gangnam Style AI trio effect. Your photo holds the phone, and two friends are made to match beside you.

Can I put my cat or dog in a Gangnam Style AI video?

Yes, your cat or dog can star in a Gangnam Style AI video. A cat or a dog can hold the phone or take a solo, and stays a real animal of its own breed.

Make Your Own Gangnam Style AI Trend Video

The Gangnam Style AI trend began with a real October 2026 reel filmed in Gangnam before spreading as a worldwide trio format. Three friends take turns singing into one phone camera on a city square, and now you can recreate that exact routine with your own trio. Head over to make a Gangnam Style AI video for $9.90 at 720p.

You can also test our Uptown Funk AI effect or explore our full collection of AI video effects.

Written by The Seadanse Team, the team that built the Gangnam Style AI page.

Related Articles

• How to Make a Gangnam Style AI Video With Your Friends (4 Steps) — the four steps, who goes where, and the photos that work best.
• Gangnam Style CapCut Template: Which One Is the Trio and Why It Fails — which template is which, and the fixes.
• Best Gangnam Style AI Video Generators (2026), Compared — the sites and apps that make this video, side by side on photos, sound and price.
• Gangnam Style AI Video Prompt (Copy-Ready): All Three Turns, Shot by Shot — a full prompt for all six parts, to use in a video tool yourself.