Culture
13 Years Ago, ‘Gangnam Style’ Went Viral Worldwide – And Changed K-Pop Forever
Thirteen years ago, the internet changed forever when South Korean singer PSY achieved the unthinkable.
His infectious hit, ‘Gangnam Style,’ made history as the first YouTube video to reach one billion views. It was a huge moment that changed the world forever.
Originally released in July 2012 by YG Entertainment, the track served as the lead single for his album ‘PSY 6’.
While initially intended for local fans, the music video’s comedic energy and signature horse-riding dance quickly transcended borders, captivated audiences, and went viral worldwide.
The term ‘Gangnam Style’ refers to the lavish, trendy lifestyles of Seoul’s wealthy district. PSY humorously likened the area to Beverly Hills, noting the irony of his own eccentric persona.
He made history by turning a local South Korean neologism into global slang.
By late 2012, the song dominated music charts in over 30 countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany.
In the United States, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a then-unprecedented record for any South Korean artist in history.
Before this milestone, YouTube was often viewed as a ‘Wild West of low-resolution content. However, ‘Gangnam Style’ proved the platform’s potential as a global hitmaker.
Within two months, the video averaged nine million daily views, easily beating every other major trend.
On November 24, 2012, PSY officially overtook Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ to become the most-viewed video on YouTube.
On December 21, 2012, it became the first YouTube video to reach a billion views. During those years, his success completely redefined what it meant to go viral.
Today, reaching one billion views is a common goal for major artists, but PSY was the undisputed pioneer.
His historic achievement bridged the gap between Eastern and Western media, proving that music and humor can truly unite the entire world through a screen.
Punch has gone viral again after older monkeys comforted him following an accidental fall into a pond at the zoo.
Caretakers later confirmed that he had fully recovered, eating well, playing with peers, and running around energetically as if nothing had happened.
Back in 2016, Park Geon Roung was one of the child actors who starred in the Baby Shark Dance video, which went on to become the most viewed YouTube video of all time.
He was just a kid then, and now at 17, he is showing the world just how beautifully time flies.
Geon Roung never stepped away from the spotlight. Since 2019, he has been part of Play With Me Club, a South Korean co-ed kids group, keeping his place in showbiz.
Fans who rediscovered him recently were stunned, with many saying he now looks just like a K-pop idol.
The ‘Baby Shark’ video was uploaded to YouTube in June 2016 by Pinkfong, a South Korean education brand.
It quickly became a staple in nursery schools and a go-to distraction for parents of toddlers worldwide, turning into one of the most recognizable children’s songs of its generation.
For many who grew up watching that video on repeat, seeing Geon Roung at 17 is a quiet reminder of how fast kids grow up.
One day they are dancing to baby shark, and before you know it, they are teenagers the internet is falling in love with.
BLACKPINK’s Lisa is going viral after visiting Punch, the baby Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan.
She posted the moment on her Instagram Story, showing full love to the beloved viral monkey. The photos spread across social media almost immediately.
What made the visit even more special was what Lisa brought with her.
She carried an orangutan plush toy identical to the one Punch is famous for clutching, the same toy that once comforted a baby monkey rejected by his mother and turned him into a global sensation.
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