"Day Trip to Busan to See the Shark" Bukhang 'Shark Craze' Shakes Up Local Businesses and Stock Market

Presumed Houndshark Spotted for Three Consecutive Days
Unexpected "Meme Stock" Phenomenon Emerges

A shark over 3 meters long that appeared in the waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park in Busan is shaking up not only the city’s weekend scene, but even the stock market. As visitors from all over the country flocked to see the shark in person, nearby cafes and food trucks experienced an unexpected boom. Adding to the frenzy, the shares of The Pinkfong Company, which owns the intellectual property (IP) rights to "Baby Shark," surged over 11% during intraday trading. Online, people even jokingly began calling Bukhang Waterfront Park the “Busan Shark Expo.”

Busan City sent out text alerts urging caution due to shark sightings, but as the weekend arrived, many citizens flocked to see the sharks in person, causing North Port Waterfront Park to become overcrowded. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to Busan City officials and the Coast Guard on September 21, sharks measuring 3 to 4 meters have been spotted in the waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan for three consecutive days, starting from the 18th. The National Institute of Fisheries Science estimated the shark to be a so-called ‘mutae shark’ (Houndshark), about 3.5 meters long, based on its brownish body and size. However, authorities have not confirmed whether the sharks seen over the three days are the same individual.

The shark was first discovered at around 9 a.m. on the 18th. As videos of the shark swimming through the waterway quickly went viral on social media and online communities, Bukhang Waterfront Park became Busan’s new “hot place.” Some clips garnered millions of views, and hundreds of citizens lined up along the waterway, waiting for a glimpse of the shark. Every time the shark surfaced—about every 5 to 10 minutes—a chorus of amazement spread among the spectators.

Yonhap News Agency

People from other regions even traveled to Busan solely for a chance at a live sighting. On social media, one review mentioned, “I’m taking a day trip to Busan to see the shark,” detailing a 4 a.m. departure from Gyeonggi Province. Photos showed children holding shark plushies and citizens eating “Jaws Bars” (shark-themed popsicles) while waiting. Online expressions such as “Busan Shark Expo” and “natural aquarium” were coined to describe the scene.

The sudden influx of people filled the park's surrounding roads and parking lots. The park's 462-space parking lot was packed with visitor vehicles, and walkways near the waterway bustled with citizens waiting to see the shark.

A Single Shark Revitalizes Local Businesses... “I feel like buying a few boxes of mackerel for it”

It was the local businesses nearby that saw an unexpected “shark boom.” Reviews mentioned that one cafe near the waterfront park had such a surge in orders that it reportedly took about 40 minutes to get a drink. With customers pouring in to the point where additional orders became difficult to accept, the cafe owner posted an apology online.

The nearby commercial district unexpectedly benefited from the "shark boom." At cafes near the waterfront park, orders surged, with reviews mentioning that it took about 40 minutes to receive drinks. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The cafe owner, responding lightheartedly to jokes circulating online—such as “The café owner released the shark” or “They’re feeding the shark so it won’t leave”—denied these rumors, but quipped, “To be honest, I do feel like buying a few boxes of mackerel for the shark right now.” In another post, they also wrote, “Thanks, shark.” Over the weekend, food trucks targeting the influx of visitors also appeared. The surge in attention led to unexpected incidents. According to the Bukhang Waterfront Park General Control Room of the Busan Facilities Corporation, on the 19th, a man was ejected from the park by police after throwing a raw chicken towards the shark in the waterway.

In response to the soaring visitor numbers, Busan City sent out safety alert text messages and increased on-site management. The police and Busan Facilities Corporation restricted access to certain bridges and ramped up patrols, while urging citizens not to lean against railings or feed the shark. The Coast Guard had originally planned to use rubber boats to lead the shark back to the open sea, but based on advice from the National Institute of Fisheries Science that forceful intervention might agitate the shark, the attempt was suspended. The current approach is to monitor the situation and allow the shark to leave naturally.

Busan Mayor Jun Jaesu: “Sharks May Continue to Visit… Evidence of a Healthy Ecosystem”

Busan Mayor Jun Jaesu also shared his view of the shark’s appearance. On the 19th, he posted on his social media account under the title “Please Enjoy Bukhang Safely,” explaining, “Due to climate change, more warm-water fish have begun gathering in Bukhang, and the shark is believed to have come here in search of food.” He continued, “It is likely that shark sightings will continue in the area around Bukhang in the future.”

On the 20th, citizens captured sharks swimming in the waterway of the Busan Port North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan with their cameras. The shark, first discovered here on the 18th, is lingering in the waterfront park waterway and unable to escape. Yonhap News

He added, “Conversely, this is evidence that the ecosystem of Bukhang Waterfront Park is that healthy.” He further asserted, “We will continue to preserve Bukhang so that a diverse array of marine life can coexist in a beautiful sea.” Urging citizens to keep visiting, he emphasized, “We will take responsibility for your safety.”

“Did the Shark Go All-In?” Even Pinkfong Stock is Booming

Meanwhile, the ‘shark craze’ that began in Busan has reached the stock market as well. On September 21, The Pinkfong Company, famous for "Baby Shark," saw its shares soar on the KOSDAQ market early in the trading session. According to Korea Exchange, as of 11:03 a.m. on this day, The Pinkfong Company traded at 13,080 won, up 8.10% from the previous day’s close. At one point, the price surged as much as 11.36% to 13,430 won during intraday trading.

Yonhap News Agency

The Pinkfong Company is the company that owns the IP of the globally popular “Pinkfong Baby Shark” content. While there is no direct correlation between the appearance of a shark at Bukhang and the company’s actual business or performance, humorous posts online—such as “Buy Baby Shark when the stock market opens” and “Did the shark go all-in?”—helped spark meme stock momentum, drawing speculative buying linked to this viral social phenomenon, according to market watchers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.