① When Kim Min-seok (from Pinkfong) gave the go-ahead in June 2016 to publish a 90-second clip of a children’s song, he had no idea what he was unleashing. It became a global phenomenon, clocking up more than 16 billion views - YouTube’s most watched video ever. That song was the incredibly catchy Baby Shark.
② Founded in 2010 as SmartStudy, the firm made digital content for children up to 12 years of age. It had just three employees, including Mr Kim and the firm’s chief technology officer, Dongwoo Son. The firm grew to around 100 employees and prioritised simpler, learning-based games and content. “And that’s when Baby Shark emerged,” Mr Kim said. The company has been known as Pinkfong since 2022. It now has around 340 employees, with offices in Tokyo, Shanghai and Los Angeles.
③ Baby Shark is believed to have originated in the US in the 1970s and was often sung at children’s summer camps. The song, which repeats the phrase “Baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo” is “attractive for children, though possibly annoying for adults,” said media analyst Kevin Chew from the Nanyang Technological University. Mr Kim is also very aware of just how catchy it is. “It’s like a K-pop song. It’s very fast-paced, rhythmical and it’s addictive,” he said, adding that the tune has a “chanting” effect, which makes it easy for children to remember.
④ But while it gained some early popularity, it only took off globally when its dance routine was featured at children’s events in South East Asia. Videos of children and adults dancing to the song started to spread online and the clip went viral. In November 2020, the Baby Shark clip claimed the title of YouTube’s most viewed. It generated around half of the firm’s revenue in the years immediately after the video’s release and became a springboard for new content and merchandise, he said.
⑤ Pinkfong’s other franchises like Bebefinn and Sealook are growing fast but the firm must prove its success is not just reliant on Baby Shark, said Korea University business lecturer Min Jung Kim. The company’s target audience is a major plus as toddlers tend to watch the same material repeatedly, she said.
⑥ Kim Min-seok insists his business can grow beyond Baby Shark, which currently accounts for about a quarter of Pinkfong’s revenue. Meanwhile, Bebefinn has leapt ahead, generating roughly 40% of the firm’s earnings.
⑦ Whether Pinkfong can create other characters to match Baby Shark’s commercial appeal remains unclear, said Prof Kim. But now it must show investors that it is not just a one-hit wonder.
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1.1.What did Kim Min-seok initially think about publishing the Baby Shark clip?
A A global phenomenon.
B Significant revenue generation.
C Unaware of its impact.
D A risky endeavor.
解析：选C。
1.C细节理解题。第一段提到“he had no idea what he was unleashing”，表明金敏硕最初发布视频时完全没意识到其潜在影响。正确选项C“未意识到其影响”与此同义。干扰项A“全球现象”是结果而非最初想法；B“重大收入产生”是后续效应；D“冒险尝试”原文未提及。故选C。
2.2.Why does the author cite Kevin Chew’s comment?
A To illustrate the song’s controversial nature.
B To explain its dual effect on different age groups.
C To highlight its educational value.
D To trace its exact historical origin.
解析：选B。
2.B例证题。第三段引用媒体分析师Kevin Chew的话，说这首歌“attractive for children, though possibly annoying for adults”。作者引用此评论的直接目的是为了具体说明这首歌对不同年龄段人群产生的双重效果，这是歌曲特点的一部分。正确选项B“解释其对不同年龄群体的双重影响”符合此目的。干扰项A“说明其争议性”过度解读，“annoying”并非严重争议；C“强调其教育价值”本段未提及；D“追溯其确切历史起源”是段首句的内容，并非引用评论的目的。
3.3.What contributed to Baby Shark’s global popularity?
A US origins.
B Dance routine promotion.
C Chanting effect.
D YouTube’s promotion.
解析：选B。
3.B推理判断题。第四段明确指出“it only took off globally when its dance routine was featured at children’s events in South East Asia”，因此舞蹈在儿童活动中的推广是关键原因。正确选项B与此一致。干扰项A“美国起源”是背景信息；C“吟唱效果”是歌曲特点但非全球走红主因；D“YouTube推广”原文未提及。故选B。
4.4.What is Prof. Kim’s (from Korea University) primary view on Pinkfong’s future?
A Uncertain but demanding proof.
B Confident and optimistic.
C Dismissive and critical.
D Enthusiastic about its expansion.
解析：选A。
4.A观点态度题。第五段中，Prof. Kim指出“Whether Pinkfong can create... remains unclear”，但紧接着强调“it must show investors that it is not just a one-hit wonder”。这表明她的态度是：对公司未来能否复制成功不确定，但同时要求公司必须用行动证明自己。选项A“不确定但要求证明”精准概括了这一态度。干扰项B“自信乐观”和D“对其扩张热情”过于积极；C“轻视批评”则过于消极，与文中客观分析的语气不符。故选A。
5.5.What is the main idea of the passage?
A Baby Shark’s origin and spread.
B YouTube’s most popular clips.
C K-pop’s influence on children.
D Pinkfong’s growth and challenges.
解析：选D。5.D主旨大意题。全文围绕Pinkfong公司展开：段落①-④介绍公司代表作《Baby Shark》的爆火及公司早期发展；段落⑤-⑦指出公司依赖单一爆款的风险、其他IP的增长情况及未来需证明“并非昙花一现”的挑战。D选项“Pinkfong的发展与挑战”（Pinkfong’s growth and challenges）全面概括了全文核心内容，符合考研主旨题“覆盖全文核心逻辑”的要求。故选D。
