Obsessions: #9 "Gangnam Style"

"Gangnam Style," a music video featuring the infectious, meme-ready dance moves of a little-known South Korean rapper named Psy, became the most-watched video in YouTube history in 2012, racking up more than 815 million views and knocking Justin Bieber off the most-viewed throne. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

On July 15, the "Gangnam Style" music video was uploaded to YouTube featuring the infectious, meme-ready dance moves of little-known South Korean rapper Psy. Four months and scores of parodies later, it became the most-watched video in YouTube history, racking up more than 815 million views—knocking Canadian teen heartthrob Justin Bieber off the throne.

"Gangnam Style" also holds the title of most liked video in YouTube history with more than 2 million "likes," according to the Guinness Book of World Records, which recognized the achievement in September. The video for LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" is a distant second, with more than 1.6 million "likes." Bieber's "Baby" is No. 3 in that category.

The rapper, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, told the BBC that his moniker Psy is short for "Psycho." As for his viral victories, Psy said he had done the same kind of song and dance for 12 years. "I didn't do anything on purpose or honestly I didn't put any effort to be an international anything. Strange, weird, still." His next album comes out in March, his seventh but the first prepped for a worldwide audience. "I cannot beat 'Gangnam Style,' that's for sure," he told the BBC. "That's one time only, that kind of phenomenon, you know. It's phenomenon; it's not success. People make it, not me. They make it. So, next time, I'm gonna make it for the first time [on my own merits]."