Can you believe it's already been ten years since 2012? Time is flying by quickly, and we can't believe we're already reaching the end of 2022! 

2012 was a grand year in k-pop; perhaps, you remember the global sensation of "Gangnam Style," or the hot debut of SM supergroup EXO, or maybe even Sistar's sensational summer hit "Loving U." 

Whatever memory it may be, 2012 was undoubtedly a memorable one for the books. So let's take a look and see -- what exactly happened in 2012? Let's dig in a little deeper and look at some of the tracks that you may remember but wouldn't have if you weren't looking at this list. Let's take a look below; let us know which 2012 moment was YOUR absolute favorite,

Busker Busker

After coming up as runner-ups in 2011's Superstar K, Busker Busker officially made their debut, and oh -- it was a good one. Their title track, "Cherry Blossom Ending," became the nation's spring song, and it's actually scary to see that song climb back into the charts EVERY spring! That's how good this song was! We can't forget other big tracks, such as Yeosu Night Sea & If You Really Love Me.

PSY

Yes, 2012 was the year of PSY. If you think BTS is global, then PSY could be considered a pioneer in globalizing k-pop. Gangnam Style was released in the summer of 2012, and thanks to YouTube, the song became a megahit worldwide, and it ended up becoming the first YouTube video to hit 1 billion views-- what a feat! And, of course... we can't forget the special collaboration he did with HyunA. 

Sistar

After a successful "So Cool" promotion in 2011, Sistar took it one step further in their popularity by releasing "Alone" in the Spring of 2012. The leg dance became such a big hit that it would've been a hit TikTok dance if it existed back then! And to top it off, they became the summer queens with the iconic summer song "Loving U," which absolutely struck the nation. 

Ailee

After making a semi-debut through the drama "Dream High 2," power vocalist Ailee revealed herself as a power solo female vocalist, and her debut track "Heaven" was a pure piece of art. It climbed the charts immediately, and she continued the promotions in the later half of the year through "I Will Show You."

JUNIEL

Who remembers this super rookie who was expected to be the next IU? Her talent definitely showed that she was capable, as she made her first debut through "illa illa." She continued to show off her skills in the winter through "Bad Man."

Big Bang

2012 was a grand year for Big Bang, as they made their return with three songs - BLUE, FANTASTIC BABY & Monster. All three songs were different in their own ways, and FANTASTIC BABY was such a bop that it topped charts for many many many weeks! 

EXO

Super-rookies EXO made their hot debut in 2012, and it was a culture shock, in a good way, of course! These SM boys showed their skills and talent through "MAMA." It's important to remember that they promoted both as EXO-M and EXO-K back in the day! 

T-ara

2012 was an "interesting" year for T-ara. They hit it big with a megahit at the beginning of the year with "Lovey Dovey." I mean, the entire country was shuffle dancing at the time, and they were on their way to becoming a tier 1 girl group. They released a summer comeback with new member Ahreum called "Day By Day," which did fairly well. However, in the middle of the promotions, there were some internal tensions and rumors, and ultimately Hwayoung left the group. This created extreme backlash amongst the Korean public, and T-ara's popularity plummeted. Despite this controversy, T-ara released "SEXY LOVE," which was actually a very popular track, and amongst the controversy, they scored pretty high on the charts! 

BoA

The Asian Queen made her first Korean comeback in nearly four years, and boy - it was a good one. This song is such a great track, and fans were so happy to see BoA promote in her homeland! She also had quite some great collaborations with fellow SM artists for her dance partners! 

BEAST

BEAST (now known as HIGHLIGHT) lit up our summers with their legendary summer song "Beautiful Night," and what a refreshing track it was! Fans were so happy to see a brighter side of BEAST after the past releases were more on the darker side!

f(x)

The crazy ladies of f(x) made their return in 2012 with their song "Electric Shock," which was their best charting song to date at the time of release! 

Sunny Hill

Fans were rather confused but delighted to see Sunny Hill make a comeback after a fierce "Midnight Circus" promotion in 2011. The Grasshopper Song is something we probably never get to see from a different k-pop group, but it was definitely a bop, and it's still meme'd as a song to enjoy... but not in public! They also released "Princess and Prince Charming" in April, and the winter romance track "Goodbye to Romance" in December, which garnered a lot of attention and is still widely remembered as a winter song.

Geeks x Soyou

If you can think of one sentimental 2012 track, fans have to agree that it is "Officially Missing You." After the original release, a follow-up was released with Soyou, which really brought her up to stardom as well. This song is still such a classic, and everyone just can't get enough!

KARA

Yoseob x Eunji

If you were a fan of 2022's version of LOVE DAY, do you know the original version? When these two were still in their early 20s, CUBE and A CUBE collaborated to release this spring track, and gosh - it was a hit. The two's harmony and collaboration were absolutely beautiful. 

K-Pop Star

If Superstar K was the audition program of 2011, things completely changed when SBS released their version of their audition program in 2012, and it was epic as the judges were the representatives of the Big 3: SM, JYP & YG. BoA, JYP, and Yang Hyun Seok were the actual stages, and we were able to see some megastars, such as JAMIE, Lee Hi, Baek Ayeon & Lee Seung Hoon from WINNER. 

Wow, 2012 was grand! And we haven't even covered it all! Next week, we'll be sure to check out groups such as TTS's hot unit debut, Hello Venus's debut, G-Dragon's solo comeback, Wonder Girls' comeback, and so much more! So let us know your thoughts, and make sure to tune in next week for part 2!