Guess who’s up for a major glow-up this year? Yes, it’s the child actor from the iconic children’s video “Baby Shark”—and he’s ready to make his mark in the K-pop scene!
Screengrab: Baby Shark Boy/YouTube
Ten years after the release of Baby Shark Dance, Park Geon-roung, the boy featured in YouTube’s most-viewed video of all time (with over 17.2 billion views), is set to release his first single as a solo artist. Titled “WAVE,” the track drops on August 20, 2026, and features MONSTA X’s Joohoney.
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Unsurprisingly, fans are already freaking out online.
”WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, I HAD A CRUSH ON HIM. I SAW HIS GLOW UP (slash grow up) BEFORE HE EVEN DID, OH MA GAWD!” commented one user.
”WAITTTT, Baby Shark is an idol now?!!!” added another.
Anchoring on the power of nostalgia, the 17-year-old will debut under the stage name Baby Shark Boy under The Pinkfong Company—the very same label behind the viral kids’ hit. This marks the company’s first major foray into the broader K-pop market.
The label dropped its first official teaser video on August 10, 2026, via Baby Shark Boy’s official YouTube channel, quickly racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
The promo clip opens with Park dancing to the classic “Baby Shark” before transitioning into a snippet of him singing a short line from “WAVE”—showcasing a mature vocal timbre that proves he’s far from the little boy we once knew.
In a statement released by The Pinkfong Company, Park—who co-wrote the lyrics for his upcoming release—shared, “Ten years ago I was dancing next to Baby Shark. Now, I wanted to share my own voice and a story I wrote myself.”
Along with his single, the company announced plans for a documentary covering Park’s transition from a child sensation to a rising music artist.
Meanwhile, his “Baby Shark” co-star, Elaine Kim Johnston, chose a different path after her viral childhood fame, moving back to New Zealand to live a quiet life away from the spotlight.
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