back to article Gangnam Style beats Bieber Baby, becomes biggest timewaste EVER

Op op op op oppan, sexy lady - Gangnam Style! Yes, if you're still upset by the four minutes of your life you'll never get back from watching internet sensation PSY bust some horsey moves on YouTube, then fear not - more than 820 million people made the same mistake. This means that pop2.0 prince Justin Bieber has been …

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  1. BigAndos

    Views <> People

    824M views doesn't necessarily mean 824M people.... I assume that some people will have watch it many times!

    1. Babbit55

      Re: Views <> People

      you really think people may have watched it more than once!!! Sadists!

      1. TeeCee Gold badge
        Coat

        Re: Views <> People

        No, watching it more than once is masochism.

        Sadism is running an online video service punting that shit to 824m victims.

        1. Babbit55

          Re: Views <> People

          You are quite right, I got my S mixed with my M!

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Views <> People

        My girlfriend's youngest daughter apparently makes the view count go up every afternoon after school.

        Anonymous to protect my hide.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Jesus wept

    1. JDX Gold badge

      It's still better than Bieber's song!

      1. TeeCee Gold badge
        Meh

        Ah. Damned with faint praise.

        1. JDX Gold badge

          Yeah. Although to be fair, Psy is at least a bit different to the other dross.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            I like it...it's bouncy.

            On a more personal note, don't attempt the dance in the bank, no matter how bored you get in the queue...the old ladies give you hard stares.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              ...especially -now I come to think about it- the bit in the lift.

              Bouncy and related:

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tOE7hy9AFw

  3. Kaorukun
    Facepalm

    That's about 75000 mythical man-months wasted!

  4. bill 36
    Happy

    This is what kids should be watching

    The magnificent Rory Gallagher giving some French kids free air guitar lessons

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Jaodra7AY

  5. tirk
    Coat

    Biggest timewaste ever?

    I thought that was posting here? Oh, hang on...

  6. Saucerhead Tharpe

    Much better is "Lo Pan Style"!

    Based on "Big trouble in Little China" it even tells the story of the film

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xiAbDkXDgg

    1. Steven Raith
      Thumb Up

      Re: Much better is "Lo Pan Style"!

      I will agree, that is fucking fantastic.

      "David Lo Pan style!

      Heeey green eyed lady...."

      Genius.

      Steven R

  7. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Lies, damn lies, statistics and Google statistics

    I don't believe a bit of it. Google statistics are buggered up beyond belief.

    Some while ago I saw someone elses video on YouTube that showed the front page of google with gangham being the number 1 most watched video, and then showed another video that had at least double the number of watches.

    I don't believe anything that Google spits out these days.

    If I find the link/video, I'll let you know.

    1. the-it-slayer

      Re: Lies, damn lies, statistics and Google statistics

      Don't believe the hype, but do your own research,

      There's a difference between the counter on the page and outside the video page. It's the same for every video on youtube. Why? I'm not sure.

      Here's the stats @ 13:08:

      Search page: 823,396,203 views

      Inside video page: 825,545,515 views

      Maybe the search page cache's the view count every so often rather than on-the-fly. Still, anything to kill/squash/quash Justin Bieber is good in my books.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Lies, damn lies, statistics and Google statistics

        I expect it has a lot to do with the amazing nosql databases and sharding.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Lies, damn lies, statistics and Google statistics

          Here's just how bad YouTube is - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFKkQglpJVs

    2. veti Silver badge
      Headmaster

      Re: Lies, damn lies, statistics and Google statistics

      I would assume that the total number of watches may be accumulated over the lifetime of the video, but the 'most watched' would reflect the number of views in the past (short period, maybe 1 day, maybe 7 days, whatever counts as 'a unit of time' in YouTubeland).

      So that's not a discrepancy, unless you have at least two timestamped screenshots showing the other video's views growing faster.

  8. frank ly

    Ummm, ..

    "With K-pop, we had a whole industry of extraordinarily high quality music ... "

    Is it just me whose brain did a back-flip? (I may be getting too old; if so please forgive me.)

    1. Sean Timarco Baggaley

      Re: Ummm, ..

      No, you're not the only one who had to go back and re-read that line.

      There are an awful lot of people out there with Van Gogh's ear for music.

      1. sabroni Silver badge

        Re: Ummm, ..

        And presumably you're basing that opinion on a good understanding of Korean pop music? Or just a dislike for western pop music?

        If you don't like pop music you won't like kpop. If you like pop music and can get over not understanding most of the words kpop is probably the best pop on the planet...

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Ummm, ..

          I expect it's based on having heard Gangnam Style.

        2. Philip Lewis
          Devil

          Re: Ummm, ..

          -... except for all others (and Jpop particularly)

      2. EvilGav 1
        FAIL

        Re: Ummm, ..

        You seem to be mistaking "things I like" and "high-quality music", the two are not mutually exclusive.

        Personally I find J-Pop better than K-Pop, but I have more of a fondness for Japanese culture than Korean, so i'm probably a little biased.

        1. sabroni Silver badge

          Re: You seem to be mistaking "things I like" and "high-quality music"

          No, I'm not. There is an intersect between those two groups but I'm quite clear on the fact that a lot of the music I like isn't "high quality" in terms of production or construction. In fact "quality" is not really something I take into account when listening to music.

          frank ly and Sean Timarco Baggaley were implying there was no way KPop could be of a high quality. I disagree and think that, objectively, Kpop songwriting, production and promotion are all of a high quality.

          Also, in a youtube style, KPOP > JPOP!

  9. squilookle
    Thumb Up

    I know I'm going to get downvoted but I'm not bothered. I think the song is very catchy and I thought the video was quite funny.

    As I understand it from a brief Google search and a conversation with a guy at work, (Not in that order)(Not very scientific so I could be wrong), the whole thing is a pisstake of western culture - and I'm sure many of the commentards here agree that a lot of western culture is a good target for pisstake. Whether that's true or not, it's nothing to get worked up about - you have the choice to either enjoy it or ignore it.

    1. the-it-slayer

      Not quite right. It's the asian culture wanting to replicate our style. The song is about a district in South Korea (Gangnam) where there's a population of young people wanting to do the very thing we do. There's plenty of interviews of Psy out there explaining what the track is about.

      Must give it to the guy, he has been trying to become popular over 6 albums. Obviously the craftmenship of the song + moves will embed it into history as a party anthem.

  10. Pen-y-gors

    A High Court Judge writes...

    What, pray, is a 'Gang Nam Stile'?

    1. Andraž 'ruskie' Levstik

      Re: A High Court Judge writes...

      I'm lucky to say No effin' idea and I plan to keep it that way.

    2. Matthew 3

      Re: A High Court Judge writes...

      "It's a piece of modern alleged music, m'lud, from a Korean chap. You may have heard a (mercifully brief) snippet played on the Today programme last month."

  11. Code Monkey

    I'm happy to say I've never seen it.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I'm happy to say I've never seen you.

    2. FSM

      Well done.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I think it's pretty catchy song, after having watched and heard it last week for the first time.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Register...

    ...wishes it was so popular!

  14. KirstarK

    will watch lo pan style later.

    but

    suggest a youetube search for

    minecraft style

    mitt romney style

    klingon style

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Hot Dog Condom Style

      1. LaeMing
        Go

        Gandalf style is pretty funny.

        Gun-man style is interesting for its high amateur production values.

  15. MJI Silver badge

    Korean GP

    Saw them doing it on that, had David, Jake & Eddie doing the dance.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Gangnam style

    South of the River -

    If you have had the opportunity to visit the neighborhood Gangnam-gu you will notice that this song is making fun of a very wealthy neighborhood where style, looks, appearance are very important.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The 'Eton Style' parody is worth a look

    If you can bear to see those jolly chaps explaining how hard it is to be wealthy and socially clueless.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Gangham style = Braindead Fools

    There is absolutely nothing to this ignorant craze, like most social media crap.

  19. Tim 11

    what's wrong with it?

    never heard of it before but just watched the video - pretty funky and nice electro beat. I would rate this as in the top 20% of current chart music - certainly better than all those x-factor ballads

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: what's wrong with it?

      But it is more successful and popular than anyone here, so it has to be trash-talked.

  20. LaeMing
    Happy

    My manager at work...

    ...was just relieved to lean her primary-school-aged kids were not singing 'do it gangbang style' in the back of the car.

    1. Michael Xion

      Re: My manager at work...

      Ha ha. I'm ok with gangnam style. Not a big fan of pop music, but its catchy and fun. One thing I can't stand is the innumerable tv/radio personalities that refer to it as 'gangam style'. There's and 'n' in there, use it.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Timewaste?

    I beg to differ.

    In fact; what I totally fail to understand is how so few people seem to recognize that Gangnam Style proofs something very important beyond any reasonable doubt.

    The fact that you can make money by actually giving away your music, your performances of said hit, and even allow people world wide to witness one your concerts live, and for free. While the attendee's themselves obviously had to pay for it.

    Gangam Style wasn't only one of the most played video's, its also one of the most downloaded songs. People grab it from Youtube, retouch the sound a bit and the rest of the noise is worked out by the massive array of filters which every mp3 player has these days.

    In fact; during several broadcasted live concerts it became very obvious that for many people there was only 1 number which counted to them when it came to PSY: Gangnam Style. They didn't even quite care for the rest, even though (but that's personal) I think some of his other work is also quite good.

    Those people are more than satisfied with downloading 'Gangnam Style', putting it onto their players, and they're done.

    And even despite that, even though the attention solely focusses around 1 and 1 only single song PSY gives it all away, people download like crazy and he STILL is capable to make money out of it.

    So what does this tell us about the current music industry, hmm? BREIN, ICANN, and all you other freedom censoring sons of -censored- -censored- ? Isn't this actual proof that you're not protecting anyone's rights, you're merely oppressing the population like the -censored- kinds of power mongers you are in my opinion?

    If PSY can do it; why can't others? And no; I'm not talking about scoring a world hit like this, those odds aren't quite high. I'm talking about still managing to make an income while your crown jewels are being put up for download? Heck; while you're giving them away yourself, for free!

    THAT is Gangnam Style really showed us here.

    Op Op Oppa GANGAN STYLE! *BOOM*

  22. Dig
    Thumb Up

    Gangnam vs Minecraft

    My 8 year old has found an even better way to waste more man hours

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtjdUMBBYaA

  23. roger stillick
    Joke

    Microsoft Solitare trumps everything...

    MS Solitare is the most insidious waster of corporate computer time , and, of personal life time in the history of mankind...nothing is even a close second....IMHO.

  24. Trainee grumpy old ****
    WTF?

    What is the world coming to?

    A page full of people posting links to you tube videos and not even one attempt at a Rick Roll?!?!

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Faith in humanity crushed

    I hate it so much; I can't be the only one.

    If anyone's seen the Chris Lilley comedy 'Angry Boys', it's very much as calamitous as S.mouse's Slap My Elbow being number 1 and getting >800M YT views, imo.

    I'd be too embarrassed to be the spokesman for the human race if aliens come.

  26. FSM

    Ulterior motives

    I've got a theory that the dance is actually a mind control ritual. Recently, Psy's been teaching it to the world's public populations, but more scarily, politicians who should have nothing to do with 'music' (like Ban Ki-moon! WTF is going on there...) and so he has more and more of a grip on the world, and will eventually invoke the apocalypse. I think you know what day it will be...

    Story time over.

  27. yoinkster
    Happy

    Well to be fair, every generation has to have their silly dance craze. We had the macarena, they've got gangnam style. Personally, I think we came out better off!

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Unfair comparison

    Comparing to Beiber , anything and anyone looks good .

    Psy's " Korea " is worth watching , in fact he's pretty dang good compared to a lot

    of artists on the web.

    Euthanasia seem a good proposal over the shame of being seen dancing like this though :D

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Vivid Proof

    This is vivid proof of how braindead many of society are.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Vivid Proof

      Hey, don't be like that. Everyone posts anonymously occasionally, it's not "vivid proof of how braindead" you are.

  30. Steve 61
    Thumb Up

    A bit of fun

    Can't agree with the Reg on this one. It's a bit of light in the otherwise totally boring music scene of today, we need irreverent stuff like this. Of course it's been totally overplayed now so it's getting on our chesticles. Pity it came too early for Xmas though, I'm not looking forward to the regular trash - God help us if it's Olivia Newton John and John Travolta!

  31. Peter Murphy
    Unhappy

    I don't get the fuss about the music.

    I had heard rumours about this video, but never saw it until a "Service Oriented Architecture" class at uni. The lecturer was trying to make some sort of strained point point about systems talking to each other while using different programming languages. Here's a video in Korean yet popular in the English speaking world, so let's show the Gangnam Style video. That's the entirety of the logic. (And he was a pretty crap lecturer in other ways.)

    So I watched the video with increasing bewilderment. Why was this the most popular video in YouTube history? I didn't understand. It wasn't that bad, but it was pretty derivative - kinda like a washed out "Pump Up the Jam" from Technotronic from 1989, shot by Benny Hill's choreographer.

    I'm not a connoisseur of good hip-hop - my preferences start and end with Public Enemy - but I know what's good and what's just mediocre. There is good stuff out there; Psy isn't it.

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