2012 will be remembered as the year of K-pop thanks to the global sensation caused by singer PSY’s “Gangam Style.”

The song was recorded in Korean as it was not initially produced with the aim of targeting a global audience. Nevertheless, the song drew instant popularity, making people laugh and dance across the world.

Gangnam Style’s popularity spread fast after it was posted on video-sharing Web site YouTube on July 15th. Gangnam Style then became a global phenomenon after people around the world posted comments and their own version of the hit tune’s music video online.

As a result, the infectious tune received more than 100 million hits on YouTube just 52 days after its debut. And after four months, the number of YouTube hits surpassed a record 700 million.

The dance song also ranked at the number two spot for seven consecutive weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart in October and November. With the song’s popularity, PSY became a global star.

1. Park Geun-hye Elected President

2. Ahn Cheol-soo Phenomenon

3. Ruling Saenuri Party Wins April General Elections

4. N. Korea Launches Long-range Rocket

5. South Korea Reaches $1 Tln in Annual Trade For 2nd Straight Yr.

6. South Korea Finishes 5th in London Olympics

7. Sejong City Launches

8. Gagnam Style Takes World by Storm

9. No. of Foreign Tourists in S. Korea Tops 10 Mln

10. Analogue Broadcasting Comes to an End