According to Korean media, Baby Shark Boy will officially debut with the digital single "Wave" at noon on August 20th Korean time. The song features the vocals of Jooheon - a member of MONSTA X.
10 years ago, the image of the boy dancing in the video "Baby Shark Dance" helped Baby Shark Boy become familiar to audiences around the world. The video released from 2016 to now has exceeded 17 billion views and once held the position of most viewed video on YouTube for 69 consecutive months.
Baby Shark Boy's return is therefore attracting attention not only because he was once part of a globally famous children's product, but also because of the journey of maturity behind the image of the boy from years ago.
After a decade, Baby Shark Boy did not return as a child dancer but chose the path of music. "Wave" is the first product in The Pinkfong Company's artist project, aiming to connect familiar characters of the company with the actual journey of maturity of those who have appeared in those products.
Notably, Baby Shark Boy directly participated in writing the lyrics for the song. The song's content is built from his thoughts when preparing to stand in front of the audience again, this time as a singer instead of a dancing boy in a children's video.
Baby Shark Boy said that he is grateful to the audience who still remember him after 10 years. If he used to appear next to Baby Shark with dance steps, this comeback is an opportunity to share his story and voice.
Jooheon's participation in "Wave" also added highlights to the debut. MONSTA X member took on vocals, combined with Baby Shark Boy in the product marking a shift to the singing field.
However, the fame from "Baby Shark" can also become an unovercome shadow. The public knows Baby Shark Boy first as a boy in a children's video, while this time he must be seen as an independent artist.
The distance between these two images is 10 years of maturity. The success of "Wave" is therefore not only measured by the attention paid to the name Baby Shark Boy, but also in whether he can make the audience interested in his music, personality and story.
Behind the debut is also a project recording the growth process of Baby Shark Boy. The Pinkfong Company is expected to release a MV and behind-the-scenes documentary called "Wave: The Boy's Record", recreating the journey from the "Baby Shark Dance" video in 2016 to the time he officially debuted as a singer.
The return of a face that was once famous as a child after 10 years also raises an interesting story about artists who grew up from childhood images. From a boy who was watched billions of times through a few dance moves, Baby Shark Boy now wants to be remembered by the public through music and stories written by himself.
