PSY revises Gangnam Style follow-up amid offence fears

South Korean pop star PSY has said he will change the title and lyrics of his potential follow-up to Gangnam Style amid fears it could offend Arabs.

The announced title of the song can be written as Assarabia or Assaravia in English – slang used by South Koreans to express thrills. It suggests no ethnicity or body part, but concerns have been raised that Arabs might misinterpret the title and find it derogatory.

PSY said on a South Korean social media website that he has decided to change the title. Some lyrics will also change.

After several Korean albums, PSY has promised future work in English but it is not clear when. The Gangnam Style video with its catchy tune and much-imitated horse-riding dance has a record 1.44 billion views on YouTube since July.