[K-enter] "Gangnam Style" and "Baby Shark" among YouTube's biggest moments

Time for some K-entertainment news with Bella Kim.

For our first story today, we are going to talk about something related to an anniversary. What are we celebrating?

Well, YouTube just turned 20 this Wednesday and in celebration, The New York Times introduced its 18 biggest moments from YouTube. And guess what? PSY’s “Gangnam Style” and Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark” were chosen.

The New York Times briefly introduced PSY and said “Gangnam Style” was first uploaded on July 2012, and by the end of that year it became the first video on the internet to reach one billion views.

Another video that made onto the timeline was “Baby Shark” began quietly, when a video of the song was first posted on YouTube in November 2015. Then, the remixed version of the same song was uploaded in June 2016. In November of 2020, it became the most viewed YouTube video ever and it still is with 15.8 billion views.

We really have to give it to PSY, Gangnam Style was a significant catalyst in the hallyu boom.

And Baby Shark now caters to children all around the world, with the song and related content said to be available in 25 languages.

Next we will move onto another piece of Korean content has been HUGE globally “Squid Game!”

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator and director behind the global sensation “Squid Game,” will be honored with the Creator Tribute at the upcoming Gotham Television Awards. The Gotham Film & Media Institute said, in a press release, that Hwang was selected for “combining high-stakes storytelling with sharp cultural commentary to create the global phenomenon.”

Established in 1991, the Gotham Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in independent films and television series. The Creator Tribute award category, which Hwang will receive, recognizes the iconic artists and creators who have enriched the landscape and pushed the boundaries of TV, making an indelible impact on the medium.

It’s actually not the first time "Squid Game" has won the Gotham Award. The Gothams previously celebrated the series with the competitive category award for Best Long Form Breakthrough Series back in 2021.

This year’s award ceremony will take place in New York City on June 2nd.

Congratulations director Hwang! And we will end off today’s K-enter with a K-pop story on a new collaboration between two artists?

Tablo, the leader of hip-hop group Epik High, and BTS member RM will release their collaborative single next month. Tablo announced the upcoming release of the track, titled “Stop the Rain,” on his social media accounts, along with a teaser video featuring both artists’ voices.

The new single is a song the two artists worked on two years ago. It combines Tablo’s distinctive lyrical style with RM’s deep and charismatic voice.

The collaboration between the two marks their first project together in three years after “All Day,” one of the tracks on RM’s solo album “Indigo.”

Excited to see the two together again. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.