A 50-minute K-pop playlist titled “Labor Song” is taking over the internet with its fast-paced tempo and vibrant melody. Listeners say it’s an incredible productivity booster.

The clip was first uploaded on YouTube in 2015, but the song has gone viral three years after making its debut on the platform and had garnered more than 1.7 million views as of Monday. No one seems to know why the video has suddenly reappeared on users’ YouTube feed, but people say the song helps them push themselves while at work, school or home -- anywhere they need to hurry up.

The song consists of 21 K-pop dance tunes, including SHINee’s “Ring Ding Dong” and “Lucifer,” Super Junior’s “Sorry Sorry” and “Mr. Simple,” Orange Caramel’s “Magic Girl,” 2NE1’s “I’m the Best,” Kara’s “Lupin” and SNSD’s “Gee.” But on “Labor Song,” the playback speed has been increased to 1.5, making listeners feel even more rushed. 

  

Since the song has been trending online, commenters on YouTube have heaped praise on it.

“Thanks to this song, I could finish work that was a month behind in just seven days,” said one YouTuber, whose comment got more than 3,400 likes in two weeks.

“Try the song when you are late for an appointment,” said another commenter. “I finished putting on my makeup in five minutes, when it usually takes 20.”

Another wrote: “I’m in a library right now and I’m not sleepy anymore. My heart is beating so fast, and now I can fully concentrate on studying.”

And in a comment that got more than 4,100 likes, another YouTube user wrote: “I don’t know why, but I feel hurried to do something (while listening to this song). Why am I even typing this so fast?”

A comment saying “God, it feels like Orange Caramel is chasing me from the beginning of the song” garnered more than 6,400 likes.

“This song should be officially released and let everyone around the world know about Korea’s ‘bballi bballi’ culture,” said another user, using a Korean expression that means “quick, quick” or “hurry, hurry.” It received about 3,900 likes.

Some comments centered on the powerful image in the video, a still shot depicting the character Elmo from “Sesame Street” with a nuclear bomb exploding in the background.

“Did anyone realize that Elmo is getting bigger and bigger as the song plays? Or is it only me who feels like that?” asked another YouTube user.

The real-life identity of the playlist’s creator, “Sake L,” is still shrouded in mystery, but YouTube users are relentlessly sending thank you messages to him or her in the form of comments. So far Sake L has uploaded only two videos on the channel, “Labor Song” and “E Mart.” The five-hour loop of E Mart’s commercial song “E Mart” has also garnered explosive popularity, drawing more than 649,000 views.

By Park Ju-young (jupark@heraldcorp.com)