Twelve years ago, a simple music video, quietly uploaded to YouTube, changed the platform forever. At the time, few could have predicted its magnitude—but in the years since, it has set a record unmatched by any other video.
Video clip for the song Psy "« Gangnam Style »"," released in 2012, became a true global cultural phenomenon thanks to its catchy chorus—and who could forget those dance moves? Starting as an unusual K-pop track, it quickly transcended borders, language barriers, and platforms, becoming one of the first true viral sensations of the social media era.
The music video for "Gangnam Style" was released on July 15, 2012, and five months later, it reached one billion views. According to Billboard, at its peak, the video was receiving 14.9 million views per day. By May 2014, "Gangnam Style" broke another record, becoming the first YouTube video to surpass two billion views—exactly 12 years ago this weekend.
«I’ve only been doing this for 12 years, only in Korea, I haven’t performed abroad at all,» Psy said in an interview. The New York Times after "Gangnam Style" became a hit. "I didn't expect anything like this. What can you say? It's all happening too fast.".
When asked about his signature dance moves showcased in the video, Psy replied that he "studied hard to find something new.".
«"I spent about a month searching for a dance with a horse. The choreographers and I just sat in the studio, spending about 30 nights there, wondering: what's my next dance move? Because in Korea, my dance is extremely demanding. So it was very intense," he said. The New York Times .
After 12 years, the music video for "Gangnam Style" has already garnered 5.9 billion views.
This article was originally published by Parade on May 30, 2026, in the Entertainment section. Add Parade to your list of recommended sources by clicking here.