Over the past 20 years, YouTube has created countless significant moments. On Wednesday, The New York Times celebrated YouTube’s 20th anniversary by selecting 18 defining events, including South Korean singer Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and the children’s song “Baby Shark.”

In July 2012, Psy released the music video for “Gangnam Style,” which became a global sensation. By the end of that year, the video surpassed one billion views, setting a historic milestone as the first video in internet history to do so.
In an interview, Psy expressed his astonishment: “Everything else was the same, so what made that one song so special?”
Meanwhile, “Baby Shark” is a piece of content produced by SmartStudy’s Pinkfong brand, headquartered in Seoul. It was first uploaded to YouTube in 2015.
A remix version featuring a new beat was released in 2016. Thanks to its catchy melody, it quickly gained popularity. In 2020, it became the most-viewed video on YouTube and has since accumulated 15.8 billion views.

The New York Times also highlighted MrBeast’s “Squid Game” video as another key moment. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, created his YouTube account in 2012 while still in middle school.
He rose to fame by producing videos where he gave money to those in need. His most popular video recreates the survival games featured in Netflix’s original series Squid Game.
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