'Baby Shark' Boy Looks Totally Unrecognizable 10 Years Later

Geon-roung also helped write the lyrics, giving him a chance to move beyond the character that made him famous.

“I’ve always been grateful that people still remember a video I appeared in as a kid,” Geon-roung told Business Korea. “Ten years ago I danced next to Baby Shark. Now I want people to hear my own voice and the story I wrote myself.”

The upcoming release represents a remarkable change for someone whose childhood image became instantly recognizable worldwide.

Baby Shark Boy is turning viral childhood fame into K-pop

The original “Baby Shark” video has become YouTube’s most-viewed video ever.

It has surpassed 17 billion views, according to recent reporting from People.

The video featured Geon-roung dancing alongside Elaine Kim Johnston. Its simple choreography and relentless chorus turned the children into instantly recognizable faces.

Geon-roung has not completely abandoned that history.

A teaser for “WAVE” begins with a brief reference to the famous “Baby Shark” sound. It then shifts toward a more mature K-pop presentation.

The teaser shows Geon-roung dancing, playing basketball and eventually splashing around in a pool.

He also sings in Korean, with one line translating to “I’m your boy.”

The Pinkfong Company has described the project as a chance for Geon-roung to tell his own story.

A company representative told the Korea Herald that the project is not simply about bringing the child from the famous video back.

Instead, the company wants Geon-roung to present a new chapter authentically.

His new music project could become more than one single

Pinkfong has not guaranteed that Baby Shark Boy will become a long-term solo act.

The company said decisions about future releases will come after “WAVE” arrives.

A behind-the-scenes documentary will also follow the project.

“WAVE: A Boy’s Record” will reportedly examine what happened during the decade since the original “Baby Shark” shoot.

Geon-roung has already spent part of that time building experience in entertainment.

In 2019, he joined children’s group Play With Me Club. The group eventually released three albums.

He has also maintained a social media presence and continued to embrace his childhood fame.

Recent reports have highlighted how dramatically he has changed since appearing in the video.

Now, however, Geon-roung wants audiences to see more than the child who danced beside an animated shark.

His first single gives him the opportunity to introduce himself on his own terms.

And after spending a decade being known as the Baby Shark Boy, he finally gets to show everyone who comes next.