Ten years ago, YouTube uploaded its first video about elephants at the zoo and their “really, really long trunks.”

YouTube, which opened to the public soon after the cofounders’ mammalian clip, became one of the fastest-growing websites in 2006, matched by equally swift copyright threats from media companies.

Later that year, YouTube created a stir for what many analysts said was an “overpriced” purchase by Google Inc.

Google’s CEO at the time justified the $1.65 billion acquisition, saying, “This is just the beginning of an Internet video revolution.”

Nine years ago, industry insiders hinted that Google might never get its money back from an 18-month-old start-up that had yet to prove its profit potential.

Today, few would question Google’s dominance in the Internet industry, with an enormous torrent of online traffic, metadata and copyright deals made available through YouTube.

Google’s purchase of YouTube has also given rise to a unique cultural phenomenon that has arguably defined today’s digital revolution.

The modern face of today’s entertainment, cultural and leisure industries are impossible to imagine without the world’s top video-sharing website.

YouTube has catapulted not only stars like Justin Bieber and Psy to international success, but has also created a new breed of online stars and bloggers who make a living from their videos.

The viral “Charlie Bit My Finger” one-minute home video, shot its 3-year-old and 1-year-old stars to fame and also racked up enough views for their father to buy the family a new house.

Two Chinese dorm students lip-synching to Backstreet Boys songs for fun signed corporate deals with firms like Motorola following their viral videos.

Obama’s presidential race in 2007 was memorable not only for racial issues, but also because supporters found a platform to promulgate their views through videos like “I Got a Crush on Obama.”

The same year, a single mother from Canada gained an online following through videos of her singing son ― who eventually landed a record deal and became the pop sensation known as Justin Bieber.

But it was perhaps Psy who became the first epic YouTube phenomenon. His iconic “Gangnam Style” music video forced the video-sharing website to upgrade its view counter to keep up with the video’s viral growth.

The catchy music video still clocks up 1 million views daily and has inspired people worldwide to share in the self-propagating sensation, characterized by flash mobs and parodies.

Like other social media, YouTube obviates the need for a mass media filter through the self-amplifying nature of Internet memes, embodying what many have called “democratic” values through a global communication network.

That’s not to say businesses haven’t tried to redirect the online information flow ― Korean telecom carriers have moved select services to local video-sharing platforms like Daum Kakao TVpot, Naver TVcast and AfreecaTV in a bid to capitalize on YouTube’s lucrative online traffic.

But Korea is still “an exciting market” with vast potential growth, according to YouTube’s contents and operation director Gautam Anand.

“Globally, we are 50 percent mobile, but in Korea, it’s 70 percent mobile,” Anand said earlier this month. “(Korea) was one of the first countries we launched in and the success we have seen here is great.”

South Koreans are the world’s most avid users of mobile apps ― and domestically, YouTube ranks second only to the country’s top messenger KakaoTalk for all Android smartphone users.

YouTube continues to expand unchallenged at the forefront of the world’s digital revolution, and South Korea is no exception.

By Yoon Sarah (sarah356@heraldcorp.com)