The Korea Herald

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'Baby Shark Dance' second most viewed video on YouTube

By Lim Jang-won

Published : March 3, 2020 - 14:28

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The English version of the “Baby Shark Dance” video overtook Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” to become the second most viewed video on YouTube on Monday.

South Korea’s children’s educational brand Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark Dance” video sits at 4.67 billion views over Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” which has 4.64 billion views as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The most viewed video on YouTube remains Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” which has clocked up 6.65 billion views.

Released on YouTube on June 17, 2016, “Baby Shark Dance” is a remake of an American folksong by Pinkfong featuring a catchy, addictive melody that became a worldwide sensation. The song comes with an easy to follow dance that has enticed many children and parents.

The YouTube success of the video allowed the song to reach 32nd spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2019. The video was further promoted through performance of the dance by famous K-pop groups such as Red Velvet and Blackpink. The Washington Nationals also took up the song as a team anthem and went on to win the World Series last year, leading to the White House playing the song during the celebration.

“Baby Shark Live” tour showcasing the song and characters in the video, which sold over 95,000 tickets last year, is ongoing in North America, holding 100 concerts in 75 cities.

By Lim Jang-won (ljw@heraldcorp.com)