One Shark Draws 600,000 Busan Visitors
Friday, October 2, 2026180 words3 minutes2544 reads
A shark known as Bukangi has become an unusual attraction in Busan, South Korea. It was spotted on September 18 in a narrow canal at North Port. It is about 3.5 metres long and has remained in the waterway instead of returning to open water.
The city counted about 600,000 visitors from September 19. About 480,000 came during the four-day Chuseok holiday. Busan later named Bukangi an honorary public relations ambassador after about 8,200 people joined an online poll and 91% supported the idea.
News reports describe the shark as a bronze whaler, but its species has been reported differently in early coverage. The nickname joins Buk Hang, the Korean name for North Port, with the Korean ending -i.
Authorities do not see the canal as a permanent home. A first effort used boats to spray water behind it, hoping to guide it toward the sea. The shark avoided the water streams. Officials said a future effort may use a large net to channel it toward the exit. Their goal is to return the wild animal safely to open water.
