Originally a satire of the nouveau riche lifestyle in Seoul's Gangnam district, the song has evolved into a global symbol of "classy dress, cheesy dance". In its sped-up form, it is primarily used for:

: Sped-up versions often pitch up PSY's vocals, creating a bright, almost cartoonish sound that complements the "cheesy" humor of the original song.

: While the original sits at 132 BPM, sped-up versions typically increase this by 15–30%, resulting in a frantic, high-energy beat designed for dance challenges.