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The maximalist video from the K-pop girl group has amassed more than 620 million views on the streaming platform at the time of this writing. Upon its release in June 2018, it accumulated 36.2 million YouTube views in its first 24 hours, earning the best 24-hour YouTube debut for a Korean artist and the second-best debut overall behind Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do." (BTS have since reclaimed the former title with their "Idol" video, which debuted to more than 45 million views.)
It's not hard to see why "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" is such a massive streaming success. The song is an impossibly catchy pop-trap banger full of breezy synths and infectious vocal hooks, while its accompanying video is a magnificent display of opulence. The four members of BlackPink strut across a life-size chess board, make it rain pink dollar bills and ride atop a bejeweled tank with shopping bags dangling off the gun. In other words, they're living their best lives.
Following its massive debut, "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" continued to perform well on YouTube and outpace similarly popular K-pop videos. "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" hit 250 million and 500 million views in record time for a K-pop group before becoming the biggest video of all time for a Korean group. The song itself also debuted at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its accompanying EP, Square Up, debuted at No. 40 on the Billboard 200–both records for an all-female K-pop group.
BlackPink made significant strides in the United States last year and seem well on their way to becoming international superstars, collaborating with pop stars like Dua Lipa and recently signing with Interscope Records. They should seal their fate with a performance at this year's Coachella, where they will perform along the likes of Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino and Janelle Monáe.
The continued success of "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" is just another victory in BlackPink's banner year. Yet even though the quartet can claim the biggest music video by a Korean group, they're a long way from scoring the biggest music video by a Korean artist overall; that honor has long belonged to Psy, whose 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" has amassed a staggering 3.2 billion views on YouTube.
