Summary
The Baby Shark video, published in 2016 by Pinkfong, became a global hit and led to the creation of a $400 million business. Pinkfong, originally known as SmartStudy, launched on the South Korean stock market, gaining a valuation of over $400 million. The company grew from a small startup to a firm with 340 employees and international offices.
Key Facts
- The Baby Shark video was released in June 2016 and became YouTube's most viewed video with over 16 billion views.
- Kim Min-seok, the CEO of Pinkfong, initially did not expect the video to become such a massive success.
- Pinkfong started as SmartStudy in 2010, focusing on digital content for children.
- The company debuted on the Korea Exchange with shares rising by over 9%, valuing the company at more than $400 million.
- Pinkfong has grown to around 340 employees with offices in major cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, and Los Angeles.
- In 2019, Pinkfong faced a legal challenge for plagiarizing an American composer's work, but the South Korean Supreme Court ruled in Pinkfong's favor.
- The company aims to diversify its content beyond Baby Shark, with other projects underway like Bebefinn and Sealook.
