Psy's overnight rise to fame

South Korean rapper Psy shot to stardom with his global hit "Gangnam Style," a music video well-known for its catchy beat and funny dance moves.

The chubby rapper has brought Korean pop, together with the nation's quirky sense of humour, to a global audience as the video went viral on the internet.

As of December 13, 2012, the music video has been viewed over 942 million times on YouTube, and is currently the site's most-watched video after surpassing Justin Bieber's single "Baby."

As the song continued to gain global popularity, it became a source of parody and triggered a flood of videos featuring many different groups and individuals taking on the original Gangnam moves.

Its signature dance moves have so far been performed by celebrities including British Prime Minister David Cameron and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who hailed the single as a "force for world peace."

A Chinese tourism official from the City of Zhangjiajie even risked starring in a Gangnam style parody to lure more tourists from South Korea to his area.