Wylde Pak
| Wylde Pak | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by |
|
| Voices of |
|
| Theme music composer | LIONCHLD, Feels Right Creative |
| Composers | LIONCHLD, Feels Right Creative |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company | Nickelodeon Animation Studio |
| Original release | |
| Network | Nickelodeon |
| Release | June 6, 2025 – present |
Wylde Pak is an American animated television series created by Paul Watling and Kyle Marshall for Nickelodeon. Inspired by Watling and Marshall's personal family lives, the series revolves around half-siblings, Lily Pak and Jack Wylde, and their daily exploits as they adjust to their newly formed Korean American family. Set in the fictional town of Canyon Valley, the two often interact with fellow family members—father William Wylde, mother Min-Ju Pak, and grandmother Halmoni.
The series stars the voices of Nikki Castillo, Benjamin Plessala, Jee Young Han, Ben Pronsky, and Jean Yoon. It is the second original production following Rock Paper Scissors to originate from the Nickelodeon Intergalactic Shorts Program that was launched in 2019, and was first announced in March 2025 with a 26-episode order. Watling, Marshall, Seonna Hong and Conrad Vernon were attached as executive producers. It is produced at Nickelodeon Animation Studio and animated by Jam Filled Entertainment.
The series' first episode was released on YouTube on May 1, 2025, with the series officially premiering on Nickelodeon on June 6, 2025.
Premise
Wylde Pak follows half-siblings Lily Pak (Nikki Castillo) and Jack Wylde (Benjamin Plessala) as they navigate their evolving family dynamics, friendships, and hijinks within their newly formed Korean American family.[1][2]
Characters
Main
- Lily Pak (voiced by Nikki Castillo[1][2]) is a competitive and fun-loving 11-year-old girl[3] and the half-sister of Jack.
- Jack Wylde (voiced by Benjamin Plessala[1][2]) is an adventurous 13-year-old boy[3] and the half-brother of Lily.
- William Wylde (voiced by Ben Pronsky[1][2]) is the father of Lily and Jack who shares Lily's fun-loving personality.
- Min-Ju Pak (voiced by Jee Young Han[1][2]) is the energetic mother of Lily and the stepmother of Jack.
- Halmoni (voiced by Jean Yoon[1][2]) is the mother of Min, and the grandmother of Lily and Jack who has a caring, yet stubborn, personality.
Recurring
- Alice Kelly (voiced by Gillian Jacobs[1][2]) is a famous documentarian traveling across the world who is Jack's biological mother.
- Chuck (voiced by Jon Glaser[1][2]) is the Wylde family's carefree and eccentric neighbor who always seems to "know a guy".
Episodes
| No. | Title [4][5] | Written by | Storyboarded by | Original release date [4][5] | Prod. code [4] | U.S. viewers (millions) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Best Summer Ever?" | Brittney Jo Flores, Jenava Mie, Paul Watling & Kyle Marshall | Mark Galez & Jared Morgan Paul Watling & Kyle Marshall (directors) | May 1, 2025 (YouTube) June 6, 2025 (Nickelodeon) | 101 | N/A | |||||
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Lily Pak plans to turn her house's extra room—currently used for the family’s pet grooming business, Wylde Pak Groom & Board—into her summer gaming den. However, her parents, William Wylde, and Min Ju-Pak, fail to buy a new shop space. Lily strikes a deal to relocate the business to their neighbor Chuck's trailer. Meanwhile, her half-brother Jack Wylde, who is on an expedition with his documentarian mother Alice Kelly, is sent to live with Lily's family for the summer for his safety and social growth. Jack ends up taking the room Lily wanted, sparking conflict. During a fight in the trailer, their grandmother Halmoni accidentally rolls downhill inside it. The trailer crashes, but she is unharmed. The family comes together to fix the trailer, and Lily and Jack reconcile. | |||||||||||
| 2 | "Sad, Single, and Stranded" | Adam Colás | Kevin Bailey Nick Edwards (director) | June 13, 2025 | 102 | TBD | |||||
| "A Waste of a Perfect Summer Day" | Brandon Hoàng | Megan Fisher Ari Castleton (director) | May 31, 2025 (sneak peek) June 13, 2025 (official) | ||||||||
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Jack longs to get a good story now that he's in Canyon Valley, but does not know where to start. Will and Min-Ju offer him a tour of the Wylde Pak residence, but he is unable to find a good story there. However, he finally finds a good story when Lily accidentally spills boba on Jack's suitcase full of clothes and ruined them in her attempt to clean it off, covering it up as a burglary. However, Lily's conscience gets the better of her, and she admits it was her that ruined his clothes. Seeing her half-brother sad he was unable to get a good story, Lily allows him to stay at her room and gives him tips on popular places around Canyon Valley. Lily plans to tour Jack around the hotspots of Canyon Valley by looking at its history, cuisine, and recreational spots. Despite Lily's objections, Jack decides to take a shortcut to the museum, where he finds the entrance to an abandoned mineshaft. The mineshaft ends up leading them to their next location, Sammie's Sammies, where Jack is able to impress its owner, Sammie, by offering her a bottle of chili he obtained while in Mexico. Meanwhile, with the kids gone, Will and Min-Ju make dinner, but Will does not know exactly how much spice Jack likes on his food. Lily and Jack's last stop is The Rec, a park well-known amongst Canyon Valley's youth whose waters are "cursed" by a large fish colloquially known as "the beast". Lily and Jack are swallowed whole, but Jack throws a bottle of hot sauce at the fish's throat, making it spit them out. The two make it to the hill, but Jack, despite all the pictures he took of him and Lily, concludes that he did not get the big picture. Later that night, the family has dinner, with Jack liking the amount of spice. Will offers the kids a tour of the hill, but having just went there, they decline. | |||||||||||
| 3 | "Woori World" | Brittney Jo Flores | Nick Edwards & Bert Youn Nick Edwards (director) | June 20, 2025 | TBA | TBD | |||||
| "Finding FlamingoFan85" | Adam Colás | Keith Pakiz Bosook Coburn (director) | |||||||||
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Five days after Jack has moved in, the local Asian shop Woori World has taken in a shipment of items from Jeju Island, including the highly-sought after cookies named Hallasand. As the cookies are in limited stock, the Wylde Paks prepare for the chaos that ensues, with Jack wanting to join in; he is tasked to be a decoy. The moment the shop opens, manic customers begin to trash the shop in the hopes of finding the confections. Each member of the family falls; Halmoni is locked in a battle with a rival of her age, Min is stunk out by the smell of a durian, Lily is cornered by a three-aunt hydra, and Will is hit by a bottle of gochujang sauce, leaving Jack all by himself. Seeing the chaos unfold around him, he resolves to get the hallasand himself. He saves Lily from the aunt hydra and calls the other Wylde-Paks into action, and he is able to grab the final box of hallasand after using himself as a decoy for the others. When a rival calls for the Wylde-Paks' disqualification, since Jack is not part of the family, Halmoni rebukes her, reiterating Jack's loyalty to the family. Having secured the hallasand, the family takes a bite and feels their souls leave their bodies due to the overwhelming taste. The Groom and Board has just received its first negative review, which specifically singles out Lily. This aggravates her and pushes her to track down the original poster, FlamingoFan85. As she gathers all the evidence she needs, Lily finds out that FlamingoFan85 has left a five-star review before at a restaurant called Poundcake Palace. Throughout the day, Lily goes off to interrogate Chuck and the waiters at Poundcake Palace and Canyon Coffee, only to find no leads. However, Lily overhears Jack talking about throwing a party for exotic pet owners, taking what he said as a suggestion to bring FlamingoFan85 to them. Later that night, however, the duo, only coming across an unrelated flamingo owner, end up finding no further leads, but eventually find a briefcase filled with stickers from the exact places FlamingoFan85 has reviewed before. The duo give chase, only to lose it and their way. Lily breaks down in tears, and Jack comforts her, telling her she can't please everyone. The duo soon stumble across a flamingo; they are able to find FlamingoFan85, where she praises her experience with the Groom and Board's treatment - specifically Lily's - of her pet flamingo (she only gives five stars to specific shops, where three is the maximum). | |||||||||||
| 4 | "Just a Little Pipe Problem" | Brandon Hoàng | Victor Courtright & Rose Feduk Victor Courtright (director) | June 21, 2025 | TBA | 0.07[6] | |||||
| "Camp Chuck" | Eden Rousso | Megan Fisher Ari Castleton (director) | |||||||||
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Due to Lily and Jack's inaction doing the chores in the house, Will and Min find out that the Groom and Board is set to undergo a safety inspection very soon (which is later that day). However, the state of the trailer is far from acceptable, with a broken pipe complicating things further. Lily and Jack get to work helping around to fix the trailer; Jack is with Min at the hardware store, which had just been closed due to "safety violations" (really a minor sorting mistake) by the very strict safety director. Seeing how strict the director can get, Jack tries to render her car immobile, but finds out he immobilized the wrong target as she instead rides a motorcycle. Meanwhile, Lily tries to work on the floorboards, but ends up encountering a skunk. Jack and Min rush back, but are forced to take a shortcut after being held up by traffic, and Jack sacrifices himself to distract the director, handing Lily the pipe. As the director enters the trailer and carries out inspection, Lil finds out that very moment that the pipe is just too short, instead resorting to using her mouth as the extension it needs. The Groom and Board passes inspection, but Jack and Lily are worse for wear. One day, neighbor Chuck announces that he will be holding a theater camp for kids in his mission to save the local theater. Lily and Jack believe that he is holding a Ponzi scheme, so they sign up; Halmoni is also there as she is an esteemed theater actor in Korea. Chuck tells each kid they can act out whatever they want in the show; soon, rehearsals are underway, which does not go well. Lily and Jack watch as chaos unfolds; as the two search for food in his room, they find out Chuck was a theater kid in his past. Now feeling bad for him, Lily and Jack decide to take over directing duties, but Chuck pulls the two into his room once more where he tells them his story: as a kid, he indeed loved theater, but he had a strict director that crushed his spirit. Despite not rehearsing, the two, feeling bad for him, decide to partake in the show, which turns out to be a success. However, the theater collapses on itself. | |||||||||||
| 5 | "The Three Ravens" | Brandon Hoàng | Keith Pakiz Bosook Coburn (director) | June 27, 2025 | TBA | 0.08[7] | |||||
| "Left Holding the Bag" | Alec Schwimmer | Mark Galez Ari Castleton (director) | |||||||||
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An unenthusiastic Lily and excited Jack follow their friend Ellie, the latter of whom acts like a raven, to the mysterious Mrs. Withers' house. However, Jack disappears, leaving Lily and Ellie behind. Their first mission to find Jack ends abruptly after being discovered by Withers herself, who they find out has amassed numerous creepy creations and tools, to the point she has made a mannequin of Jack that Lily mistakes for the real deal. Lily learns to embrace the way of the raven, which helps her and Ellie find Jack, who is now kitted out in a Little Lord Fauntleroy costume, and Withers, who is revealed to be a artist/sculptor. The three kids reunite, with Lily fully embracing the traits of the raven; later that night, Withers disposes of her trash, including the Jack mannequin, which begins to smile. Lily and Jack are listening to a true crime podcast, and are inspired to become criminals to land a spot on the show. They come across Chuck, who is dealing with a stinky duffel bag. The two kids are suspicious, but decide to help him, with Jack recording the escapade as they go. The duo make their first stop at a hardware store, where Chuck buys equipment for cleaning, duct tape, and a shovel; their second is to meet up with Chuck's friend Dirk, who hands him a location. Chuck drops the kids off at the side of the road, but does not return after hours. The kids decide to bury it; they briefly toy around with the idea of betrayal, but are interrupted by a bystander, who is shocked by the contents of the bag. Later that night, the duo meets up with Ellie, who gives them disguises to allow them to get away from Canyon Valley. Soon, the two are pursued by Chuck, who reveals that not only did he have to do everything himself, but he had left them behind to buy them corn dogs. On the way back to Canyon Valley, Chuck listens to Jack's recording. | |||||||||||
| 6 | "The Meatball of Canyon Valley" | N/A | N/A | July 11, 2025 | TBA | TBD | |||||
| "Sticky Fingers" | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
| 7 | "Warriors Against the Realm" | N/A | N/A | July 18, 2025 | TBA | TBD | |||||
| "Sungandeul" | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
Production
Announcement
In March 2025, Nickelodeon announced that a new animated comedy television series, Wylde Pak, had been picked up for a season of 26 episodes.[3][8] It is the second original television series following Rock Paper Scissors (2023–present) to originate from their initial Nickelodeon Intergalactic Shorts Program that was launched in 2019.[9][10] Nikki Castillo, Benjamin Plessala, Ben Pronsky, Jee Young Han, Jean Yoon were announced to lead the voice cast.[3][11] The series, created by Paul Watling and Kyle Marshall and inspired by their family lives, follows the everyday life of a newly formed multi-generational Korean American family.[3][11] It is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, and executive produced by Watling, Marshall, Seonna Hong and Conrad Vernon.[3][11]
Conception
Watling and Marshall conceived an early version of Wylde Pak during their regular meetups at a Little Dom's restaurant. This version featured the characters, Lily and Jack, but had an added science fiction element. The pair wound up pitching the concept to Nickelodeon, whom responded well, particularly to Lily and Jack.[12] The science fiction element was eventually dropped, and the two looked to their family lives as inspirations for what the show could be. A seven-minute pilot was produced as part of the Nickelodeon Intergalactic Shorts Program that was launched in 2019. According to Marshall, development was intense and the short looked and felt different from the final series, but the characters and family dynamics were identical.[12]
Watling and Hong's marriage and the former's newfound role as a step-father to Hong's daughter served as the direct inspiration for the Wylde Pak's premise. Watling described his family life as poignant, as he himself grew up a step-child. Around the time the series was being conceived, Marshall also became a father.[13] Watling, Marshall, and Hong's mission was the create a show that depicts a relatable and unsanitized picture of familial relationship. Hong noted that diversity and representation were an important part of the show. As the central family is multi-generational and culturally blended, several less common family dynamics tackled in animation had to be nailed down.[13] As the series' target audience is children, episodes are mainly framed through the point of view of main characters, Lily and Jack.[14] Other influences on the show include The Amazing World of Gumball (2011–present), Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), and My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999).[12]
Animation and music
Wylde Pak is animated by Jam Filled Entertainment and its design was developed by art director, Ji Soo Kim.[12][14] The creators sought for the series' style to reflect the messiness of familial relationships. The backgrounds consist of messier linework and no perfect angles. The characters are animated using Toon Boom Harmony and Jam Filled created a boiling outline which moves subtly in each frame.[12] According to Marshall, the directing and boarding teams also influenced the series' look: "The compositions and backgrounds are dynamic and wonky, but what really makes it unique is the way our teams handle expressions and posing. Those boards influenced everyone down the line, from design and color to animation".[12] The musical trio LIONCHLD created and composed the theme song and musical score.[15]
Release
Wylde Pak's first episode was released on YouTube on May 1, 2025, with the series officially premiering on Nickelodeon on June 6, 2025.[1][2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Nickelodeon Announces All-New Animated Series Wylde Pak, Moving In This Summer" (Press release). PR Newswire. March 11, 2025. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Milligan, Mercedes (May 1, 2025). "Nickelodeon Introduces 'Wylde Pak' with New Trailer & Voice Cast Additions". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on May 1, 2025. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Petski, Denise (March 11, 2025). "Nickelodeon Greenlights 'Wylde Pak' 2D-Animated Series; Watch The Teaser Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Wylde Pak Episode Listings". The Futon Critic.
- ^ a b "Wylde Pak Episode Guide". Gracenote.
- ^ Pucci, Douglas (June 24, 2025). "Saturday Ratings: Live Breaking News Coverage Across Several Outlets Leads the Night". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on June 24, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
- ^ Pucci, Douglas. "Friday Ratings: NHL Draft on ESPN Up in Total Viewers, Almost Even in Demos from Year Ago/date=June 30, 2025". Programming Insider. Archived from the original on July 1, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ Alexa, L'Wren (March 11, 2025). "Nickelodeon Reveals 'Wylde Pak' First Look". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Bharanidharan, Sadhana (March 11, 2025). "Nickelodeon explores blended family life in Wylde Pak". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Hopewell, John (June 13, 2022). "Nickelodeon Launches Intergalactic Shorts Program 2.0 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c Milligan, Mercedes (March 11, 2025). "Nickelodeon Announces Brand-New Animated Series 'Wylde Pak'". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Zahed, Ramin (June 3, 2025). "'Wylde Pak' Creators Take Us Behind the Scenes of Their Buzzy New Nickelodeon Show". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ a b Rake, Mirinda (May 30, 2025). "A New Nickelodeon Show Explores Blended Family Dynamics With Realness and Humor". Parents. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ a b Murphy, Jackson (June 3, 2025). "INTERVIEW: A Walk On The "Wylde Pak" Side". Animation Scoop. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
- ^ Massoto, Erick (May 16, 2025). "'Wylde Pak' Gets Wholesome Theme Song From 'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse' Music Producers [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on May 16, 2025. Retrieved May 16, 2025.