"Is Here in Busan" 'Bukangi' Free Emoticons Released... Available on the 26th

Created by city officials... Available for 30 days
Distributed to the first 50,000 users to add the city’s KakaoTalk channel

“Bukangi,” a black shark that became a local attraction after staying for more than a month in the artificial waterway at Busan North Port Waterfront Park, will meet residents this time as a KakaoTalk emoticon.

Busan City announced on October 25 that it will give away 16 “Sharkfluencer Bukangi Is Here in Busan!” emoticons for free starting at 2 p.m. on October 26. The first 50,000 users who add Busan City’s official KakaoTalk channel will be eligible.

The “Bukangi” KakaoTalk emoticon created by Busan City. Provided by Busan City, Yonhap News.

The animated emoticons feature Bukangi in a variety of expressions and movements and can be used for 30 days from the day they are downloaded. City officials created the emoticons themselves. The images can also be downloaded for free from the “Digital Goods” section of the Busan City website and used as smartphone wallpapers or stickers.

Busan City previously designated Bukangi as an honorary promotional ambassador. It plans to create content featuring Bukangi and use it to communicate with residents.

Bukangi has since left the artificial waterway at North Port Waterfront Park, but remains near Busan Port.

On October 24, the National Institute of Fisheries Science confirmed that Bukangi was swimming healthily in the harbor near the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal, about 2 km from its last sighting. The institute believes Bukangi is expanding its range and adapting to a new environment, and that there are no signs of health problems.

Bukangi is a black shark about 3 m long that was first spotted in the artificial waterway at North Port Waterfront Park on September 18. It stayed there for more than a month, drawing over 1.7 million visitors.

On October 21, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan City, and other relevant agencies conducted a third operation to guide Bukangi out to the open sea. However, after Bukangi squeezed through a gap in the barrier and returned to the waterway, the ministry opened the first barrier the next day and waited to allow it to make its own way out to sea. Bukangi later left the waterway again and expanded its range.

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