The name Cocomelon may not sound as familiar as the latest Netflix hit or the trendiest YouTube channel, but the brand is a juggernaut of children's programming. The mysterious Treasure Studio is listed as the creative force behind one of the most-watched pieces of media content in the world, but little is known about the company. Jay Jeon, the founder, is a man whose life is shrouded in mystery despite holding one of the most successful entertainment properties in the world.
On the basis of viewership numbers, Cocomelon has an incredible pedigree of accomplishments. It's the second most-watched and second-biggest YouTube channel in the world after the Indian record label T-Series, meaning it takes the number one spot in the United States for both categories. Cocomelon also has the honor of being one of the only three channels with more than 100 million subscribers, amassing over 100 billion views so far. A TV version of the show also debuted on Netflix in June 2020 and has remained a staple of the streaming service's Top Ten lineup since August 2020, beating everything from The Queen's Gambit to The Office to become the most-watched program on the platform last year.
Despite all these record-breaking numbers, the origins and background of Cocomelon are an enigma. It was only very recently, in February 2020, that Bloomberg Businessweek discovered that one Jay Jeon and his so far unidentified wife, who is a children's book illustrator, were the driving forces behind the programming and its animation company Treasure Studio. Even now, the couple, who reside in Orange County, California, prefer to remain in the shadows and out of the public eye, quietly cranking out content with an anonymous 20-person team, according to Cocomelon's website.
Jeon himself is far from new to the children's entertainment scene. The YouTube channel started all the way back in 2006 under the name ThatsMEonTV as a hobby with his wife. He claims that his children had an enthusiastic reaction to the animated shorts and wanted to spread the positivity publically. Treasure Studio changed the name toABCkidTV in 2013, then rebranded the channel again as Cocomelon in 2018, which coincided with massive growth in viewers and subscribers.
But Jeon's low profile doesn't reflect his brand's public face at all. Last summer, British media company Moonbug Entertainment purchased Cocomelon for an undisclosed amount of money and plans on capitalizing on its massive success. That means Cocomelon's estimated yearly $120 million dollars in earnings is going to get even bigger. Already, toy trucks and plushies are available to purchase, and the nursery rhymes and children's songs at the center of the programming are on music services like Spotify and Apple Music.
Rene Rechtman, CEO of Moonbug, is less shy than Jeon and has voiced his efforts to focus on children's media with the acquisitions of Blippi and Little Baby Bum alongside Cocomelon. The entire venture saw Moonbug raise an estimated $120 million dollars, but considering that's roughly the same amount that Cocomelon earns in a single year, Rechtman and his company will make their money back in spades. Now that Moonbug is turning what started off as a modest YouTube channel into a bona fide brand, Cocomelon is poised to take over the world. The animated musical program has become a titan-sized property for toddlers.