South Korean children's entertainment has become a global cultural force through the widespread popularity of the Baby Shark video and Teenieping series.
This trend illustrates the expanding influence of South Korean intellectual property beyond K-pop and K-dramas, capturing a critical early-childhood demographic worldwide.
The Pinkfong Company, founded in 2010 [2], has led this surge. Its most famous creation, the Baby Shark video, was released in 2016 [5] and exploded in popularity in 2018 [1]. The video has since become one of the most-watched pieces of content on the internet, with over 12 billion views [1]. Zinnia Lee said Baby Shark has become the most-watched video on YouTube [1].
This digital success translated into significant financial growth for the creator. On Nov. 18, 2025, Pinkfong launched its initial public offering [3]. Following the debut, shares of the company surged more than 60% [4]. Reuters staff said the jump reflected the global love for the company's children's content [4].
Beyond the financial metrics, the content is driving linguistic interest. The appeal stems from catchy music, simple animation, and a multilingual approach that allows children across different borders to engage with the material. Bella said kids around the world are even singing along in Korean [6].
While Baby Shark remains the flagship success, the Teenieping animated series has also contributed to the global reach of Korean children's media. The combination of high-production animation and relatable characters has allowed these properties to penetrate diverse markets, creating a sustainable ecosystem for Korean media exports.
“Baby Shark has become the most-watched video on YouTube, with over 12 billion views.”
The success of Pinkfong and Teenieping signals a strategic diversification of South Korea's 'soft power' exports. By dominating the children's media market, South Korea is building brand loyalty with a global audience at an early age, which likely creates a long-term pipeline for other cultural exports and strengthens the economic viability of its animation and digital content industries.
