&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Baby Shark to K-pop: Meet Park Geonroung, the viral child star, as he begins his music journey")
Remember the Baby Shark song released in 2016, which went viral within no time? The music video's catchy tune and the hand-dance moves first spread widely across Southeast Asia in 2016 and 2017 before turning into a massive worldwide phenomenon in the US and Europe by 2018. A decade later, the face of the song, who had appeared in the music video, Park Geonroung, is embarking on a very different chapter. Now 17, the former child star has stepped into the K-pop world under the stage name Baby Shark Boy, releasing his debut single.
Park Geonroung as the face of the Baby Shark music video
Park Geonroung, who became known internationally as the “Baby Shark Boy", appeared in Pinkfong’s hugely popular Baby Shark Dance video when he was seven years old. The 2016 video transformed the children's song into a global phenomenon and has since crossed 17.2 billion views on YouTube, making it the platform's most-watched video.
Park became one of the most recognisable faces associated with the video; he was not the original singer behind the recording. His role was primarily as the child performer seen dancing and lip-syncing in the video. Now, a decade later, he is getting the opportunity to put his own voice forward.
Park Geonroung's debut as K-pop idol
Park Geonroung, now 17 years old, is making his music debut under the stage name Baby Shark Boy with the digital single WAVE. It was released globally on August 20 by the Pinkfong Company, the South Korean entertainment company behind the Baby Shark phenomenon.
The song gives fans a nostalgic connection to his childhood fame while introducing a completely different sound. WAVE incorporates the familiar Baby Shark melody into an electropop and trap-influenced dance track, with Park also participating in writing the lyrics. In addition, the song also features Joohoney of South Korean boy group MONSTA X, bringing his rap style to the track. The choreography was created by the K-pop choreographer Choi Jung Jun and TEAM SAME.
The Pinkfong Company is also supporting the new chapter, with a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling Park's journey and the making of his debut single.
