Baby Shark" is the first Korean and children's song to receive the certification 5X Platinum from the British Phonographic Industry.

By Park Hye Ri
Photos = Pinkfong Company

The children's song "Baby Shark" is the first domestic track to receive the highest grade of the British music market, setting yet another global mark.

The Pinkfong Company on Aug. 4 said the song received 5X Platinum accreditation from the British Phonographic Industry.

The certification is the highest in the U.K. for a single selling over three million units through downloads and streaming. "Baby Shark" is also the first children's and Korean song to receive the rating.

In January 2019, the track debuted at No. 32 on Billboard's main singles chart Hot 100 and surpassed 200 million streams on the U.K. Official Charts in 2022. In 2023, the song accumulated more than a billion streams on Spotify and was the most streamed music video in the U.K. last year.

"Baby Shark" entered Billboard's main singles chart "Hot 100" at number 32 in January 2019, and surpassed 200 million streams on the UK Official Charts in 2022. It then reached 1 billion cumulative streams on Spotify in 2023 and topped the UK's most-streamed music video (MV) list last year.

"The song is a case of going beyond a simple hit and becoming global music intellectual property that generations worldwide consistently consume," Pinkfong said. "We will continue to expand K-content's global expansion based on cultural interpretations and musical attempts that transcend genre barriers."

Visitors try an interactive zone marking the 10th anniversary of "Baby Shark" at the Qatar Toy Festival, which was held from July 6 to Aug. 4 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar.

As the global popularity of "Baby Shark" spreads, Pinkgfong is speeding up its marketing campaign in the Middle East.

At the Qatar Toy Festival from July 6 through Aug. 4 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, Pinkfong ran an interactive zone to mark the song's 10th anniversary, drawing 130,000 visitors.

Covering 16,520 square m, the zone captivated visitors with things like a large slide shaped like a sea vessel 9 m wide, 5 m long and 4 m tall. Other attractions included a singing zone where visitors could sing and dance, photo zone for taking pictures with the main characters and large ball bit.

Hosted by Visit Qatar Tourism Authority, the festival is a leading children's and family event in the region that attracts large numbers of families from neighboring countries.

hrhr@korea.kr