The difference in views is incredible.
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2017 may not seem like it was that long ago, but in terms of the K-Pop industry, so much has changed between then and now! Some of the most-viewed music videos back then are still up there compared to other MVs, but there are many more that have gained millions, or even over a billion, views that have propelled them quickly to the top. Here’s a look at the 15 most-viewed K-Pop music videos in 2017 compared to today!
15.
2017: “Good Boy” by G-Dragon + Taeyang (150.5 million views)
"Good Boy" is a song recorded by South Korean duo GD X Taeyang, members of the boy band Big Bang. It was released on November 21, 2014, as the second hip-hop project from YG Entertainment, the first being "Niliria" by G-Dragon featuring Missy Elliott a year prior. The single was written by G-Dragon, who also produced it along with the Fliptones and Freedo. "Good Boy" became a chart-topper on Billboard's World Digital Songs and a Top 5 hit on the Gaon Digital Chart. Additionally, a physical single was released and topped the Gaon Albums Chart.
YG Entertainment announced a new hip hop project on November 17 by G-Dragon collaborating with another artist.[2] The following day, Taeyang was revealed to be a part of the project.[3] A teaser trailer was released on November 20 announcing that the single would be named "Good Boy" and was set to be released on November 21.[4] The track topped South Korean online music services and iTunes charts in seven countries upon its release.[5]
A music video directed by Colin Tilley was released to promote the single. As of April 2016, "Good Boy" surpassed 100 million views on YouTube, making Big Bang the first Korean boy group to have three music videos pass this mark.[6] The video went on to be featured as a YouTube Music Moment for the 2015 YouTube Music Awards.[7]
A dance practice video was also released, showing the dance choreography by Parris Goebel.[8]
"Good Boy" received generally favorable reviews. The song was dubbed an "amazing club song" by Fuse, who also called it one of the best 10 songs of November 2014, writing that it"[i]s a huge EDM/hip hop banger that feels like the next 'Turn Down for What'".[9] It also ranked as one of Fuse's "41 Best Songs of 2014" at No. 15.[10]
Billboard gave a positive review, stating, "[G-Dragon & Taeyang are] at the top of the vocal, rap and dance game in one of the year's most epic club tracks",[11] and listed the single at number three in their "Best K-Pop Songs of 2014" list, feeling that the duo "hardly feels like a collaboration, but more like a cohesive artist."[12]
Justin Block from Complex felt that "Good Boy" will "instantly have your face all the scrunched up when the drop hits", making it "quite impossible to not feel yourself to G-Dragon and Taeyang" on the song.[13]
2021: “Blood Sweat & Tears” by BTS (737.4 million views)
"Blood Sweat & Tears" (Korean: 피 땀 눈물; RR: Pi ttam nunmul; Japanese: 血、汗、涙; Hepburn: Chi, ase, namida) is a song recorded in two languages (Korean and Japanese) by South Korean boy band BTS. It was written by "Hitman" Bang, Kim Do-hoon, RM, Suga, J-Hope, and Pdogg, with the latter of the six solely handling production. The Korean version was released on October 10, 2016, as the lead single from the band's second studio album, Wings (2016), by Big Hit Entertainment. The Japanese version of the song was released on May 10, 2017, through Universal Music Japan, as a single album that included the B-side tracks "Spring Day" and "Not Today", both also in Japanese. It is a moombahton, trap, and tropical house song with influences of dancehall and reggaeton. The song's lyrics address the pain of addictive love.
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who were favourable towards its production, the refreshing sound and BTS' vocal delivery. It was also likened to the musical styles of Major Lazer and Justin Bieber. It was nominated for the Song of the Year at the 2016 Mnet Asian Music Awards and appeared on the decade-end lists of the best K-pop songs by Billboard and GQ. Commercially, the Korean version of the song debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, becoming the band's first number one on the chart. As of May 2019, the song has sold over 2.5 million copies in South Korea. The Japanese version peaked at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, becoming the 22nd best-selling single of 2017 in Japan. It received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 250,000 copies in the country.
Two music videos were filmed for "Blood Sweat & Tears", one for the Korean version and another for the Japanese version; the first video was directed by YongSeok Choi and premiered via Big Hit's YouTube channel on October 10, 2016. Inspired by Hermann Hesse's coming of age novel, Demian (1991), the symbolism-heavy video depicts BTS exploring a museum and performing choreography. The video was awarded the Best Music Video at the 2017 Seoul Music Awards. The second video, featuring psychedelic and neon colours, was uploaded to Universal Japan's YouTube channel on May 10, 2017. BTS promoted the song with televised live performances on various South Korean music programs, including M! Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo. It was also included on the set list of their second worldwide concert tour, The Wings Tour (2017).
14.
2017: “Dope” by BTS (157.0 million views)
"Dope" (쩔어) is a song by BTS. It was released on April 29, 2015, and appears as the fifth track for their third mini album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt.1 and as the sixth track of the CD 1 in their first compilation album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever.
This song has a Japanese version featured in their fifth Japanese single "I Need U" and in their second Japanese studio album Youth.
2021: “Oppa is Just My Style” by PSY & HyunA (790.6 million views)
"Gangnam Style" (Korean: 강남스타일, IPA: [kaŋ.nam sɯ.tʰa.il]) is a song by South Korean singer Psy, released on July 15, 2012, by YG Entertainment as the lead single of his sixth studio album, Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1 (Ssai Yukgap Part 1). A K-pop and dance-pop song, the term "Gangnam Style" is a Korean neologism that refers to a lifestyle associated with the Gangnam District of Seoul. The song received mixed reviews, with praise for its catchy beat and Psy's amusing dancing (which has itself become a phenomenon) in the music video and during live performances in various locations around the world.
"Gangnam Style" debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Chart. The song and its music video went viral in August 2012 and have influenced popular culture worldwide. In the United States, "Gangnam Style" peaked at number two on Billboard Hot 100. By the end of 2012, "Gangnam Style" had topped the music charts of more than 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
A music video was released the same day, attracting global media attention and a public audience. In September 2012, "Gangnam Style" was recognized by Guinness World Records as the most "liked" video on YouTube at the time. It subsequently won Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards held that year. It became a source of parodies and reaction videos by many different individuals, groups, and organizations. On December 21, 2012, "Gangnam Style" became the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views.[6] The song's music video has since been viewed 4 billion times on YouTube,[7] and was the most viewed video on YouTube from November 24, 2012, when it surpassed the music video for "Baby" by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris,[8] to July 10, 2017, when itself was surpassed by the music video for "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth.[9]
Its dance was attempted by political leaders such as British Prime Minister David Cameron and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who hailed it as a force for world peace.[10] On May 7, 2013, at a bilateral meeting with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye at the White House, Obama cited the success of "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up" by the Korean Wave of culture.
13.
2017: “The Boys” by Girls’ Generation (161.2 million views)
The Boys is the third Korean studio album and the fourth overall by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. Lee Soo-man, former chairman of the group's agency S.M. Entertainment, served as the executive producer of the album. The record saw the contribution of the group's previous collaborator Hitchhiker, who produced the tracks "Telepathy" and "Sunflower". The title track, "The Boys", was a result of experimenting with new producers, including American Grammy Award-winning producer Teddy Riley. Musically, The Boys mostly contains uptempo dance tracks and occasionally empowerment ballads.
The album was released on October 19, 2011, by S.M. Entertainment, and was distributed in South Korea by KMP Holdings. A reissue titled Mr. Taxi featured a Korean-language version of the group's 2011 Japanese-language single "Mr. Taxi", and an English-language version of "The Boys" was released on December 9, 2011. An international version featuring the English-language version of "The Boys" was released in January 2012 by Interscope and Polydor Records, which are affiliated with Universal Music Group, in order to expand the group's endeavor to the global music scene.
To promote The Boys domestically, Girls' Generation appeared and performed on several music programs, including Music Bank, Inkigayo, and M Countdown. To further promote the record to international audiences, the group performed on US television shows Late Show with David Letterman and Live! with Kelly and Michael, and French televised program Le Grand Journal. The title track "The Boys" was released as the album's lead single on October 18, 2011, and claimed the top spot on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart.
Upon its release, The Boys received mixed reviews from music critics. Commercially, the album was a success in the group's native country South Korea, peaking atop the Gaon Album Chart and was the best-selling album of 2011 in the country. The project won the Digital Daesang Awards at both the 26th Golden Disk Awards and 21st Seoul Music Awards. It also achieved success in other Asian countries, including Japan (reaching number 2 on the Oricon Albums Chart) and Taiwan (reaching number 3 on the G-Music chart). The record additionally charted at numbers 64 and 130 in Spain and France, respectively. In the United States, The Boys reached number 2 on the World Albums and number 17 on the Top Heatseekers.
2021: “How You Like That” by BLACKPINK (864.2 million views)
"How You Like That" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on June 26, 2020, through YG and Interscope, as the lead single from the group's first Korean-language studio album, The Album, which was released on October 2, 2020. The track was co-written by Danny Chung, R. Tee, 24 and Teddy Park, with Park credited as the producer.[4] Musically, "How You Like That" is a pop, hip hop and trap track.
The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Seo Hyun-seung and uploaded onto Blackpink's YouTube channel simultaneously with the single's release. Upon release, the music video broke several YouTube records, including for the most-watched premiere, the most views within 24 hours for a music video—accumulating 86.3 million views in that time—and for the fastest to surpass 100 million, 200 million and 500 million views. It also became one of the most-liked videos on YouTube with over 20 million likes.
"How You Like That" won numerous accolades, including Song of Summer at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards and Best Dance Award for a female group at both the 2020 Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards in Seoul. Commercially, the single charted in 26 countries. It was a success in South Korea, peaking at number one on both Gaon and K-pop Hot 100, and further topped the national charts in Singapore, Hungary, and Malaysia.[5] The song has been certified gold in Canada and silver in Japan, while the album version was certified platinum in South Korea.
12.
2017: “Cheer Up” by TWICE (163.5 million views)
"Cheer Up" (stylized in all caps) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Twice. It was released by JYP Entertainment on April 25, 2016, as the lead single from their second extended play Page Two. It was written and composed by Sam Lewis and Black Eyed Pilseung respectively.
The song topped the Gaon Digital Chart and is the best-performing single of 2016 in South Korea. It also won several awards including Song of the Year in two major music awards shows, Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards.[2][3][4]
2021: “Idol” by BTS (918.1 million views)
"Idol" (stylized in all caps) is a song recorded by South Korean boy band BTS, released on August 24, 2018, by Big Hit Entertainment as the lead single from their third compilation album Love Yourself: Answer (2018). An alternative version of the song, which features Nicki Minaj, was also included as a bonus track with the digital album.[4][5] The single debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the two versions combined sold 43,000 downloads in their first week of sale in the US.[6] It is certified gold by the RIAA.
On July 3, 2019, the Japanese version of the song was released as a B-side track, along with the Japanese version of "Boy with Luv" and an original Japanese track titled "Lights".[7][8]
11.
2017: “I Am the Best” by 2NE1 (177.2 million views)
"I Am the Best" (Korean: 내가 제일 잘 나가; RR: Naega jeil jal naga) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group 2NE1 for their self-titled second EP. The song was written and produced by the group's long-time collaborator Teddy Park and was released for digital download as the third single from the EP on June 24, 2011, under YG Entertainment. "I Am the Best" integrates a variety of musical genres such as electro house, electronic and hip hop, complete with instrumentations of synthesizers, middle eastern inspired rifts, and empowering chants. An empowerment anthem, the lyrics revolve around the themes of self-confidence, dominance, and narcissism.
"I Am the Best" received acclaim from music critics domestically and internationally, with them praising the song's musical styles and 2NE1's charisma. It is often considered to be one of the most iconic and influential K-pop songs, and recognized as a key contributor in the spread of the Korean Wave around the world. In the group's native country, the song topped the Gaon Digital Chart and sold almost 3.8 million digital units by August 2012, standing as one of the best-selling girl-group singles in South Korea.
The song gained renewed attention in the United States after appearing in a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 commercial in 2014. It then topped the Billboard World Digital Songs chart, making 2NE1 the first K-pop group and the second Korean act overall to achieve the feat in the chart's history. The song was subsequently released in the US on December 10, 2014 by Capitol Records and received airplay on various American radio stations, becoming noteworthy for being one of the few non-English songs to do so. Its accompanying music video was uploaded on June 27, 2011, and incorporates a range of elaborate sets, props, attire and hairstyles.
2021: “Fake Love” by BTS (928.6 million views)
"Fake Love" is a song recorded in Korean and Japanese by South Korean boy band BTS. It was written by "Hitman" Bang, RM, and Pdogg, with the latter as producer. The Korean version was released through Big Hit Entertainment on May 18, 2018, as the lead single from the band's third album Love Yourself: Tear (2018). Columbia Records serviced the song to US contemporary hit radio on June 12, 2018, as a single in the country. A remix, titled "Rocking Vibe", was released on June 4, 2018, and appears on the band's third compilation album, Love Yourself: Answer (2018). The Japanese version of the song was released for digital download and streaming on October 16, 2018 by Universal Music Japan as a single album that included the remix and "Airplane Pt. 2", both also in Japanese. "Fake Love" is an emo hip hop, grunge-rock, rap-rock and electropop song which relies on rock instrumentals. The lyrics talk about the love that was once believed to be destiny, but turned out fake at the end.
The song received generally positive reviews from critics who praised its dark production, eclectic sound, and the band's vocal delivery. It received several accolades, including the Song of the Year and Best Pop Song at the 2019 Korean Music Awards, and appeared on the decade-end lists of NME and Consequence of Sound. Commercially, the Korean version of "Fake Love" debuted at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart and number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first top-ten single in the US. The Japanese version debuted and peaked at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, becoming the 12th best-selling single of 2018 in Japan. It was certified] platinum for both streaming and digital download sales by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) and double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).
Two music videos, for the original and the remix, were directed by YongSeok Choi. Premiering on May 18, 2018, the first video follows the story-line of BTS' fictional narrative universe and depicts the band dancing on various sets. The second video, an extended version of the first, was released on June 1, 2018, and has some additional footage. The debut performance of "Fake Love" at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards received positive reviews from critics. BTS later promoted the song with televised live performances on several South Korean music programs in 2018, including M! Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo. It was also included on the setlist of their Love Yourself World Tour (2018–19).
10.
2017: “Gee” by Girls’ Generation (182.2 million views)
"Gee" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. The original Korean-language version was released as a single from the extended play of the same name on January 5, 2009. "Gee" is a bubblegum pop and electropop song with elements of hip hop and techno that lyrically talks about the girls' affections when they are in love. The single was a success in the group's native country, claiming the top spot on Music Bank for a record-breaking nine consecutive weeks and on Inkigayo for three weeks. It became the best-selling single of 2009 in South Korea was named most popular song of the 2000s decade by Melon.
A Japanese-language version was recorded and released as the group's second single in Japan in October 2010 in conjunction with their foray into the Japanese music scene. The single peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and number one on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart. It received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan for exceeding physical shipments of 100,000 copies, and later earned a million certification for digital sales of over one million copies. "Gee" has been widely recognized as a K-pop standard and considered as the frontier in modern Korean bubblegum pop music trend.
2021: “Mic Drop” by BTS (934.9 million views)
"Mic Drop" (stylized as "MIC Drop") is a song recorded in two languages (Korean and Japanese) by South Korean boy band BTS. The Korean version was originally included as a B-side track on the band's fifth extended play, Love Yourself: Her (2017), and later remixed by American producer and DJ Steve Aoki. The remix was released as the second single from the EP on November 24, 2017 by Big Hit Entertainment and features a guest appearance by American rapper Desiigner. It was serviced to US contemporary hit radio on December 5, 2017, as a single in that country. The Japanese-language version of "Mic Drop" was released on December 6, 2017 by Universal Music Japan as a triple A-side single album that included "DNA" and a new, original song "Crystal Snow", both also in Japanese. Both the Korean and Japanese versions of the song were written by Supreme Boi, "Hitman" Bang, J-Hope, RM, and Pdogg, with the latter of the five solely handling production. The remix version was also written by the same songwriters, with additional songwriting by Aoki, Desiigner, Tayla Parx, Flowsik, and Shae Jacobs. It was produced by Aoki, with Pdogg providing additional production. An EDM and trap song with hip hop leanings, the lyrics celebrate BTS' numerous achievements.
The song received generally favourable reviews from music critics, who praised its beat, sound, and musical styles, and picked it as a standout track, on Love Yourself: Her. Commercially, the remix version of "Mic Drop" debuted at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first track to reach the top 40 on the chart. The song appeared at number 37 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 46 on the UK Singles Chart, in addition to reaching moderate peaks in several other territories. The Japanese version debuted at number one on both the Oricon Singles Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot 100. It was the 13th best-selling single of 2017 in Japan. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).
Two music videos were filmed for "Mic Drop", one for the Korean remix version and one for the Japanese version. Woogie Kim directed the music video for the Korean version which premiered on Big Hit's YouTube channel at the same time as the song's release. The video for the Japanese version was uploaded to Universal Music Japan's YouTube channel on December 5, 2017. Both videos depict the band performing powerful choreography in various settings. Following the release of Love Yourself: Her, BTS appeared on several South Korean music programs including M! Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo. They promoted the remix version of the song with performances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Saturday Night Live, amongst others. It was also included on the setlist for the band's Love Yourself World Tour (2018–19).
9.
2017: “TT” by TWICE (185.8 million views)
"TT" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Twice. The song was released by JYP Entertainment on October 24, 2016, as the lead single from their third extended play Twicecoaster: Lane 1. It was written and composed by Sam Lewis and Black Eyed Pilseung respectively. The title "TT" refers to the emoticon used to express crying or sadness.[2]
The Japanese version of "TT" was released as the lead single from the group's first Japanese compilation album, #Twice.[3] Its accompanying music video was released on June 21, 2017.
2021: “As If It’s Your Last” by BLACKPINK (1.01 billion views)
"As If It's Your Last" (Korean: 마지막처럼; RR: Majimagcheoleom) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink, released on June 22, 2017 by YG Entertainment.[3] It was written by Teddy Park, Brother Su, Choice37, Future Bounce, Lydia Paek and produced by Teddy Park.[4] Musically, it has been described as a synth-pop, classical, house, reggae and moombahton song, whose lyrics talk about finding and losing love. Commercially, the song debuted atop the Billboard World Digital Songs chart, at number two on K-pop Hot 100 and at number 3 on the Gaon Digital Chart. The single sold more than 2.5 million copies in South Korea.[5]
8.
2017: “I Got a Boy” by Girls’ Generation (188.8 million views)
I Got a Boy (stylized as I GOT A BOY) is the sixth studio album and the fourth Korean studio album by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released for digital download on January 1, 2013 by S.M. Entertainment, and was made available for physical sales the following day by KT Music. Musically, the album is characterized as combining elements from a wide range of genres including R&B, new wave, and EDM. This is the last studio album and Korean studio album with their founding member Jessica before her dismissal of the group in 2014 and subsequent departure from SM Entertainment in 2015 respectively.
I Got a Boy received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its eclectic musical styles. It was a commercial success domestically, peaking atop the South Korean Gaon Album Chart and became the second best-selling album of 2013 in the country. The album additionally charted at number seven on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart, number three on the Taiwanese G-Music chart, and number one on the Billboard World Albums.
To promote the album, Girls' Generation appeared and performed on several music programs including Music Bank and Show! Music Core in early 2013. The album's lead single was "Dancing Queen", a remake of Duffy's 2008 single "Mercy", released on December 21, 2012. The second single, "I Got a Boy", was released on January 1, 2013, and was subjected to major attention from Western media outlets following its winning Video of the Year at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards.
2021: “Dynamite” by BTS (1.07 billion views)
"Dynamite" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band BTS, released on August 21, 2020, through Big Hit Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment. It is the band's first song fully recorded in English.[2] The song, written by David Stewart and Jessica Agombar and produced by Stewart,[3] is an upbeat disco-pop song with elements of funk, soul, and bubblegum pop, and takes influence from 1970s music—it features snapping handclaps, echoing synths, and celebratory horns. Intended to soothe listeners during the COVID-19 pandemic, the song talks about joy and appreciation for the little things that make life valuable. Upon release, "Dynamite" received positive reviews from music critics, with praise towards its catchiness and broadly appealing retro sound. It garnered the band their first Grammy nomination at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and made them the first Korean pop act to be recognized by the Recording Academy.
"Dynamite" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the band's first number-one single in the United States and making BTS the first all-South Korean act to top the Hot 100. The song sold 265,000 downloads in its first week, marking the biggest pure sales week since Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" (2017). "Dynamite" stayed atop the Hot 100 for three total weeks. On Spotify, "Dynamite" debuted with 7.778 million streams, marking the biggest opening-day for a song in 2020. Additionally, "Dynamite" peaked at number one on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, topping the latter for three consecutive weeks. The song charted in the top 10 in 25 different countries and topped the charts in Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Malaysia, Scotland, Singapore, and South Korea. The accompanying music video reached 1 billion views on April 12, 2021.
Initially a standalone single, "Dynamite" was later included on BTS' fifth Korean-language album, Be (2020), released on November 20.[4]
7.
2017: “BANG BANG BANG” by BIGBANG (226.9 million views)
"Bang Bang Bang" (Korean: 뱅뱅뱅) is a song recorded by South Korean boy band Big Bang. Initially released as part of the single album A on June 1, 2015 through YG Entertainment, the song served as one of the eight lead singles from the band's third Korean-language studio album Made, which would be released more than a year later on December 12, 2016. It was written and composed by member G-Dragon along with long-time group collaborator Teddy Park, with additional rap parts penned by member T.O.P.
The track won Song of the Year at 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards, making the group the second act to be awarded this prize twice. "Bang Bang Bang" was a commercial success, ranking as the best-selling and most-streamed single in South Korea of 2015.[1][2] It also peaked atop the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart. In Japan, the single peaked at number two on the Japan Hot 100 and was awarded Asian Song of the Year at the Japan Gold Disc Award for two consecutive years, in 2016 and 2017. With over five million downloads sold across Asia, "Bang Bang Bang" is among the band's best-selling works.
2021: “BOOMBAYAH” by BLACKPINK (1.18 billion views)
"Boombayah" (Korean: 붐바야; RR: Bumbaya) is a song by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released coupled with "Whistle" in the group's digital debut single album titled Square One, on August 8, 2016 by YG Entertainment. "Boombayah" peaked at number 7 in South Korea and topped the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart in the first week of sales. On October 13, 2020, "Boombayah" became the first K-pop debut music video to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube.
"Boombayah" was released on August 8, 2016 at 8 p.m. KST (UTC+09:00) as a digital single titled Square One, coupled with "Whistle", through various digital music portals in South Korea.[3][4]
The song received generally positive reviews form music critics. Jeff Benjamin of Billboard K-Town said that Blackpink "embraces the hip-hop sensibilities and club-ready sounds with which their seniors gained an international following", referring to their labelmates Psy, Big Bang and 2NE1, with the song's "booming" and "exotic beats".[5]
Commercially, "Boombayah" debuted at number 7 on the South Korean Gaon Digital Chart, selling 88,215 digital units and garnering 1,866,737 streams in the country.[6][7][8] In the United States, "Boombayah" topped the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart for the week of August 27, 2016.[9][10] The following week, "Whistle" descended to number 3 on the chart.[11]
The music video for "Boombayah" was directed by Seo Hyun-seung,[12] who had previously directed the music videos for "I Am the Best" by 2NE1 and "Fantastic Baby" by Big Bang. The video was released on Blackpink's official YouTube channel on August 8, 2016.[13][14] As of October 2020, the video has surpassed 1 billion views.[15]
Blackpink promoted "Boombayah" at their debut stage on SBS's Inkigayo on August 14, 2016.[16][17] They subsequently promoted the song for the two following weeks on Inkigayo,[18][19] and also performed "Boombayah" at the 26th Seoul Music Awards on January 19, 2017.[20]
The song was featured in the Netflix television series Wu Assassins during a fight scene in "Drunken Watermelon", the first episode of the first season.[21]
6.
2017: “Daddy” by PSY (257.5 million views)
"Daddy" is the 21st K-pop single by the South Korean musician Psy. The song was released on November 30, 2015, to his YouTube channel, along with the accompanying music video,[1] as the lead single of his seventh studio album Chiljip PSY-Da. It features CL of 2NE1. It samples hooks derived from "I Got It from My Mama" by will.i.am. The song also appeared on Just Dance 2017.
2021: “Boy With Luv” by BTS (1.24 billion views)
"Boy with Luv" (Korean: 작은 것들을 위한 시; RR: Jageun geotdeureul wihan si,[A] lit. "A Poem for Small Things"[7]) is a song recorded by South Korean boy band BTS, featuring American singer Halsey, as the lead single for their sixth extended play Map of the Soul: Persona. It was released on April 12, 2019 by Big Hit Entertainment.[8] The song's music video was the most viewed online music video in 24 hours at the time, garnering over 74.6 million views within its first day of release. On June 24, 2019, Billboard announced that the song had been certified Platinum by the RIAA.[9] "Boy with Luv" held the record for the song with the most music show wins after the 2000s in South Korea with 21 wins, until the record was broken by "Dynamite".[10]
On July 3, 2019, the Japanese version of the song was released as a double A-side single alongside an original Japanese track titled "Lights" under Universal Music Japan.[11]
5.
2017: “Fantastic Baby” by BIGBANG (289.5 million views)
"Fantastic Baby" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band Big Bang. It was released as a single for digital download and streaming by YG Entertainment on February 29, 2012, in conjunction with the release of the band's fourth extended play (EP), Alive (2012). The song was written by members T.O.P, G-Dragon and long-time group collaborator Teddy Park, whilst production and composition was handled by the latter two contributors. A boisterous, sonic and dynamic electropop, EDM, hip hop, and hip house track, "Fantastic Baby" incorporates a multitude of hooks and catchprases—most notably "Wow, fantastic baby" and "boom shakalaka".
"Fantastic Baby" was well received by music critics, with Rolling Stone naming it one of the greatest boy band songs of all-time. The song has been recognized by Billboard magazine as "one of the biggest K-pop hits ever", and was hailed as a highlight in the spread of the Korean Wave around the world by The Smithsonian in 2013. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number three on both the Gaon Digital Chart and the Billboard World Digital Songs chart while placing within the top 10 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.
Selling more than 4 million digital units in the band's native country by 2016, "Fantastic Baby" became one of the best-selling singles in South Korea. Additionally, the song sold 3 million units across China and Japan, and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) in August 2015. The accompanying music video, directed by Seo Hyun-seung, was released on March 7, 2012 and became the first music video by a K-pop group to surpass 200 and 300 million views on YouTube.
2021: “DNA” by BTS (1.27 billion views)
"DNA" is a song recorded in two languages (Korean and Japanese) by South Korean boy band BTS. The Korean version was released on September 18, 2017 as the lead single from the band's fifth extended play Love Yourself: Her (2017) by Big Hit Entertainment. The Japanese version of the song was released on December 6, 2017 by Universal Music Japan as a triple A-side single album that included "Mic Drop" and a new, original song "Crystal Snow", both also in Japanese. Both versions were written by "Hitman" Bang, Supreme Boi, KASS, Suga, RM, Pdogg, with the latter of the six solely handling production. A "Pedal 2 LA" remix of the track appears on the band's third compilation album, Love Yourself: Answer (2018). An EDM and pop song, the lyrics talk about fate and love at first sight.
The song received generally favourable reviews from music critics, who praised its production, sound, and the band's musical direction. It was also likened to the works of Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes and Avicii. Commercially, the Korean version of "DNA" debuted at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart and number one on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. It has since sold over 2.5 million digital copies in South Korea as of February 2019. The song peaked at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at number 90 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's first entry on both the charts. The Japanese version debuted and peaked at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, becoming the 13th best-selling single of 2017 in Japan. The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). "DNA" received several accolades, including a nomination for Song of the Year at the 15th Korean Music Awards and the 19th Mnet Asian Music Awards.
The music video was directed by YongSeok Choi and premiered simultaneously with the release of the song. The video features the band performing complex choreography in various CGI-enhanced settings. Following the release of Love Yourself: Her, BTS promoted the song with televised live performances on several South Korean music programs, including M! Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo. The band's US television debut performance of "DNA" at the 2017 American Music Awards received positive reviews from critics. It was also included on the setlist of their Love Yourself World Tour (2018–19).
4.
2017: “Hangover” by PSY & Snoop Dogg (290.5 million views)
"Hangover" is a single by South Korean K-pop musician Psy, produced by Yoo Gun-hyung, featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg. Its music video debuted on the June 8, 2014 broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[1] As of October 2020, the video has received over 345 million views on YouTube.[2] The song serves as a follow-up to Psy's two international hit singles "Gangnam Style" and "Gentleman". The song was used in the 2018 Marvel superhero film Black Panther during the Busan casino scene.
2021: “Kill This Love” by BLACKPINK (1.30 billion views)
Kill This Love (stylized in all caps) is the second Korean-language extended play (third overall) by South Korean girl group Blackpink, released on April 5, 2019, by YG Entertainment and Interscope Records.[5] It is their first Korean material since the release of Square Up in June 2018, and their debut release with Interscope Records.[6] The title track was released as the lead single. The single peaked at number two in South Korea and became the group's first top-50 hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.
On the Billboard 200 chart, Kill This Love debuted at number twenty four with 19,200 units, including over 9,100 pure sales moved.[7] The EP reached the top ten in many territories, including Canada, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, and the top twenty in Australia. It was certified platinum by the Gaon Music Chart in June 2019, for selling 250,000 album-equivalent units becoming Blackpink's second EP to do so, following 2018's Square Up.
3.
2017: “Oppa is Just My Style” by PSY & HyunA (683.8 million views)
2021: “Gentleman” by PSY (1.40 billion views)
"Gentleman" is a K-pop song by South Korean musician Psy released on April 12, 2013 (KST), serving as his 19th single.[1] The song serves as the follow-up to his international hit single "Gangnam Style", which at the time of "Gentleman"'s release had been viewed on YouTube over 1 billion times.[2] The first public performance of the song, with its associated dance, was unveiled at 6:30 pm on April 13 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul.[1][3][4] A poster and Twitter message was released containing the main line of the song "I'm a mother f••••• gentleman";[5][6] The obscured word was later revealed to be "father".[2]
As of May 1st 2021, the video has been viewed more than 1.4 billion times.[7] It held the YouTube record for most views in its first 24 hours,[8] and most views in any 24 hours for over four years until August 28, 2017 when Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" garnered more views.[9] It also held the record for fastest music video to reach 100 million views for over six years until April 7, 2019 when fellow Korean act Blackpink surpassed it with "Kill This Love".[10][11][12] Other records previously held were the fastest overall video to reach 200 million views (until September 2017),[10][13] and 300 million views (until November 2015).[14][unreliable source?] The song reached number one on charts in Luxembourg, South Korea and the United States, and topped iTunes charts in 40 countries.
2.
2017: “Gentleman” by PSY (1.06 billion views)
2021: “DDU-DU DDU-DU” by BLACKPINK (1.58 billion views)
"Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" (Korean: 뚜두뚜두, stylized in all caps) is a song recorded in Korean and Japanese by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on June 15, 2018, through YG Entertainment, in conjunction with the release of the group's debut Korean-language extended play, Square Up. The Japanese version of the single was released through YGEX on August 22, 2018, and was distributed in three physical formats. Described as an pop rap song infused with bubblegum pop and trap beats, the track was written by YG collaborator Teddy Park, whilst production and composition were handled by Park, 24, Bekuh Boom and R.Tee.
The single was a commercial success in South Korea, peaking atop the Gaon Digital Chart for three consecutive weeks, marking their second number-one single in the country. "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" also topped the national charts in Singapore and Malaysia, in addition to peaking atop the Billboard K-pop Hot 100 and World Digital Songs charts. The song was certified platinum twice by the Korea Music Content Association (KOMCA) for both digital sales and streaming, and was further certified gold in the United States and silver in Japan.
Its accompanying music video was uploaded to the group's official YouTube channel on the same day and soon became the most viewed online video, and second most-watched music video of all time within 24 hours, at the time of its release. It has since become the first and fastest music video by a K-pop group to reach 1 billion views, and it is currently the most-viewed music video by a K-pop group on YouTube.[1] The song was also featured in the fourth episode of season three of Freeform series The Bold Type in April 2019.[2]
1.
2017: “Gangnam Style” by PSY (2.83 billion views)
2021: “Gangnam Style” by PSY (4.06 billion views)
"Gangnam Style" (Korean: 강남스타일, IPA: [kaŋ.nam sɯ.tʰa.il]) is a song by South Korean singer Psy, released on July 15, 2012, by YG Entertainment as the lead single of his sixth studio album, Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1 (Ssai Yukgap Part 1). A K-pop and dance-pop song, the term "Gangnam Style" is a Korean neologism that refers to a lifestyle associated with the Gangnam District of Seoul. The song received mixed reviews, with praise for its catchy beat and Psy's amusing dancing (which has itself become a phenomenon) in the music video and during live performances in various locations around the world.
"Gangnam Style" debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Chart. The song and its music video went viral in August 2012 and have influenced popular culture worldwide. In the United States, "Gangnam Style" peaked at number two on Billboard Hot 100. By the end of 2012, "Gangnam Style" had topped the music charts of more than 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
A music video was released the same day, attracting global media attention and a public audience. In September 2012, "Gangnam Style" was recognized by Guinness World Records as the most "liked" video on YouTube at the time. It subsequently won Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards held that year. It became a source of parodies and reaction videos by many different individuals, groups, and organizations. On December 21, 2012, "Gangnam Style" became the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views.[6] The song's music video has since been viewed 4 billion times on YouTube,[7] and was the most viewed video on YouTube from November 24, 2012, when it surpassed the music video for "Baby" by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris,[8] to July 10, 2017, when itself was surpassed by the music video for "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth.[9]
Its dance was attempted by political leaders such as British Prime Minister David Cameron and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who hailed it as a force for world peace.[10] On May 7, 2013, at a bilateral meeting with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye at the White House, Obama cited the success of "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up" by the Korean Wave of culture.[11
