Alexa, don’t play “Despacito” — it’s Baby Shark’s time to shine.
On Nov. 2, “Baby Shark Dance,” from South Korean brand Pinkfong, officially surpassed the song by Luis Fonsi (featuring Daddy Yankee) as the most viewed YouTube video of all time, having racked up 7.05 billion views to 7.04 billion. The infectious kids tune itself is an old children’s song with ambiguous origins, but in 2016, Pinkfong created an upbeat remix. Two years later, the video exploded in popularity with the #BabySharkChallenge, and has since gone from a children’s favorite into meme. Pinkfong later expanded the Baby Shark brand into an empire, with apps, new videos, merchandise, and an upcoming TV show.
“Baby Shark Dance” hit the Billboard 100 in January 2019, while also becoming the most viewed educational YouTube video of all time. (Is it educational? Up for debate, but it’s listed as such on YouTube.) It has continued to climb the charts, surpassing music videos like “Gangnam Style” and “See You Again” and even fellow children’s video behemoth “Masha and the Bear — Recipe for Disaster.” Now “Baby Shark Dance” has defeated the final boss for the ultimate throne.
Of the victory, Min Seok Kim, CEO of Pinkfong parent company Smart Study, said: “Without the love and support of fans around the world, Baby Shark’s new record would have been impossible. We’re very honored by this record and will continue to focus on delivering high-quality entertainment beyond the digital platforms.”
Baby Shark’s cultural dominance only continues to grow. I, for one, welcome our lovable shark overlords.
