"Because It's the Holiday, We Have to See Bukangi"... Busan Shark Draws 100,000 Visitors and Becomes a National Star

Over 102,000 Visitors Flock to the Park on the First Day of the Holiday

The shark that entered the artificial waterway at Busan Port North Harbor Waterfront Park in Donggu, Busan, has brought about an unexpected boom and attracted 100,000 visitors even during the Chuseok holiday.

The shark 'Bukangi' that appeared in the waterway of the Busan Port North Harbor Waterside Park, Dong-gu, Busan on the 20th. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Busan Facilities Corporation on the 25th, the cumulative number of visitors to the Waterfront Park as of 6 p.m. on the first day of the holiday was approximately 93,000. To prevent safety incidents, the city of Busan restricts access to the waterway area at Waterfront Park every night from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. the following day. When those who visited after 6 p.m. are included, it is estimated that the total number of visitors to the Waterfront Park reached around 102,000.

Normally, about 2,000 people visit the Waterfront Park on holidays, but thanks to 'Bukangi,' the shark that entered the artificial waterway, the number of visitors soared to 50 times the usual. The shark, which was discovered in the North Harbor and was named 'Bukangi,' has now become a national attraction.

The Waterfront Park is located about 500 meters from Busan Station and is within walking distance, which appears to have drawn home-bound travelers arriving at the station to the park as well. On this second day of the holiday, which is also Chuseok itself, visitor traffic is expected to remain strong.

In the afternoon, as massive crowds flocked to the park, the city of Busan sent out a safety alert via text message, stating that “severe congestion is occurring around the Waterfront Park” and urging visitors to refrain from using personal vehicles and to take public transportation whenever possible.

'Bukangi,' which was first spotted in the Waterfront Park waterway on the 18th, has now spent eight days in the area. The rare opportunity to see a large, 3.5-meter shark up close, combined with the timing of the holiday, has caused a surge in visitors, resulting in an unexpected windfall for nearby businesses.

As nationwide interest in the shark continues, marketing efforts by companies and the local government have also followed. Recently, local coffee brand Blushark, Busan Aquarium, and local soju producer Daesun have unveiled shark-themed promotional content and events featuring Bukangi on social media.

However, Busan city and related authorities plan to wait and see if 'Bukangi' leaves the waterway on its own during the holiday. If the shark remains in the area after the holiday period, they will devise a rescue plan at that time.

'Bukangi' is believed to be either a sandbar shark or a blacktip shark. Experts suggest that the shark was chasing prey and became trapped in the waterway because it could not find its way out due to the narrowing structure at the end.

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