After more than four years at the top, the quirky video from South Korean pop star Psy, "Gangnam Style," has conceded its place as the most watched video on YouTube.

A satirical take on Seoul's nouveau riche, the song had an infectious pop beat that grabbed fans from around the world when it debuted in December 2012.

The Korean-language video featuring singer Psy's unusual dance moves was the first to reach one billion views on YouTube. Most striking was its place on top despite the dominance of English-language music on global charts.

As it inspired a plethora of homemade takes and remakes, the video continued to draw hits, causing the site's engineers to scramble to make changes once it topped 2.1 billion views, previously thought to be the maximum number possible.

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Number one video a Paul Walker tribute 

As it inched towards 2.9 billion views, Psy's video was overtaken by "See You Again," a tribute to the actor Paul Walker of "The Fast and the Furious" film franchise who died in a car accident in November 2013.

The video features Wiz Khalifa rapping and Charlie Puth singing as they overlook a sandy coast.

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Since "Gangnam Style" broke the one-billion-views mark on YouTube, a total of 68 clips have likewise done so, all but three of them music videos.

ct/kbm (AFP, dpa)