The little boy who became part of one of the biggest viral sensations in internet history is back and this time he is in K-pop. Park Geonroung, who appeared in the huge “Baby Shark Dance” video at five years old, has returned to the stage as “Baby Shark Boy.” Almost 10 years after the song made him a familiar name to millions of people, Park has launched his solo music career with a new digital single titled “WAVE.”
Park’s return marks a striking new chapter in a journey that began when “Baby Shark Dance” became a global phenomenon. When it was released in 2016, it quickly went from being a children’s tune to a global pop-culture phenomenon. Its repetitive melody, simple choreography and well-known shark family made it ubiquitous with children and families around the world.
The video has now accrued over 17.2 billion views on YouTube, a record of all time on the platform. “Baby Shark” has been popular far beyond the original target audience (which is mostly young children) and has become part of internet culture through memes, parodies, performances and numerous dance videos.
Park was only seven at the time he appeared in that video, so I think he has grown up a lot since then. In fact, while many child performers shy away from the spotlight as they get older, Park has remained connected to Pinkfong, the South Korean entertainment company behind the “Baby Shark” franchise. He has also appeared in other Pinkfong productions after his breakout performance.
After that, Park is looking to establish a sense of self through music. Now as Baby Shark Boy, he's making his solo K-pop debut with “WAVE,” a nostalgic but modern pop. The song starts with a familiar melody from “Baby Shark” and moves into electropop, Park said.
The new song also allows Park to creatively contribute to the project. He wrote lyrics to “WAVE” which made it more personal than a continuation of his childhood connection to the viral franchise. The song is that bridge between the performer audiences remember from nearly 10 years ago and the artist he wants to become in the future.
Park said he was grateful for the continuing fondness for his childhood look. “Baby Shark Dance” made people happy and he was grateful that people still remembered him after so long. That recognition, he said, inspired him to come back and connect with people through music.
The scale of the “Baby Shark” phenomenon has given Park an unusual starting point for his musical career. The song has been played in major venues, such as the White House, and has attracted attention from high-profile people and stars. Its huge popularity has also resulted in many adaptations and parodies so that the original performers are instantly recognizable to viewers.
But Park’s new project seems to be more than simply documenting his childhood fame. “WAVE” is a little kick in the ass, he says, but it’s only the first step of a longer musical journey. Park doesn’t want to see the single as a one-time comeback; he wants to see how he is as an individual and as an artist and a creator and his story will be told through music and other forms of content.
So for the young performer from the original “Baby Shark Dance” video, the transformation makes it especially nostalgic. The child who played in the shark family once before is now trying to make a career in the competitive K-pop industry.
It means Baby Shark Boy is in a different chapter with “WAVE” now, one that mixes a global recognition of his childhood history with a modern pop sound that is distinctly modern. And whether his new musical identity can form the base for a bigger K-pop career seems to be coming; Park’s return has already led to fans looking back at the viral phenomenon that first brought him to the world.
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