PSY’s “Gangnam Style” hits 6 billion views—K-pop’s first YouTube milestone

A great legacy fired by “B-grade sensibility”—seizing the unprecedented 600-million-view summit

PSY (PSY)’s mega-hit song, “Gangnam Style”’s music video, finally surpassed YouTube views of “6 billion views”, reshaping the stature of South Korean popular music and adding a new golden milestone to K-pop history.

According to PSY’s agency, P NATION, the music video crossed 6 billion views as of the afternoon of the 17th. That marks a staggering record achieved exactly 14 years after its first release on July 15, 2012.

The global fandom’s power is still blazing. Just 2 years and 7 months after reaching 5 billion views on Dec. 30, 2023, it pulled in an additional 1 billion views, proving its overwhelming staying power as a “global killer content” rather than a passing trend.

With a heavily addictive beat and audacious “mal dance” that took the world by storm, “Gangnam Style” is a symbolic work that changed the trajectory of K-pop. It not only became the first song to break 1 billion views since the launch of YouTube in December 2012, but also grabbed second place on the U.S. Billboard main single chart, “Hot 100,” for seven consecutive weeks—sparking a major ignition for K-pop’s globalization, which had previously lingered on the margins of the pop market.

Earlier, PSY said in media interviews that “the YouTube platform completely redrew the landscape of Hallyu,” adding that “Gangnam Style” was “the first case that made the most perfect use of that ecosystem,” highlighting the song’s era-defining value. P NATION also said of the achievement, “Beyond simple numbers, it’s the true strength of content that runs deep into everyday life for the public across borders and generations.”

Meanwhile, the legendary record was completed together with fans onstage. On the 19th, PSY took the stage at his PSY Hmeok Show Summer Swag 2026 Gwacheon concert, donning the iconic outfit from the “Gangnam Style” music video and unleashing explosive energy. He declared, “Today, I’ll dedicate this hot concert live performance to YouTube as a 6 billion-view thank-you video,” drawing rapturous cheers from the packed crowd.