BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA — A shark that unexpectedly appeared in a waterfront canal has turned one of South Korea’s biggest holiday travel periods into an unlikely wildlife attraction, drawing an estimated 102,000 visitors to Busan’s North Port Waterfront Park on the first day of Chuseok.
The crowd was extraordinary compared with the park’s normal holiday traffic.
About 93,000 visitors had been recorded by 6 p.m. on Sept. 24, according to the Busan Facilities Corporation. After accounting for people who arrived later in the evening, authorities estimated total attendance at approximately 102,000.
That is more than 50 times the roughly 2,000 visitors the park typically receives on a holiday.
The Shark That Turned a Busan Canal Into a Tourist Hotspot
The shark was first spotted in the artificial waterway on Sept. 18 and has remained there for more than a week.
Measuring approximately 3 to 3.5 meters, the animal has been widely photographed by visitors and given the affectionate nickname “Buk-kang-i.” Korean reports say experts believe it may have entered the canal while pursuing prey and subsequently struggled to find its way back to open water because of the canal’s narrow structure.
Images and videos of the unusual sight quickly spread across social media, transforming what began as a local curiosity into a nationwide attraction.
Chuseok Crowds Swarm the Waterfront
The timing amplified the phenomenon.
The shark remained in the canal as South Korea entered the Chuseok holiday, prompting families, tourists and people returning to Busan to make an unexpected detour to the waterfront.
The park is only about 500 meters from Busan Station, making it particularly accessible to holiday travelers arriving by train.
By the afternoon, the crowds had become so large that Busan authorities issued a safety alert warning of severe congestion around the waterfront and encouraging visitors to use public transportation rather than cars.
Authorities deployed 150 safety personnel around the North Port area and prepared crowd-control measures in case visitor numbers became excessive.
Local Businesses Get an Unexpected Chuseok Boost
The shark’s sudden popularity has also created an unexpected business boom.
Nearby cafés and convenience stores have benefited from the huge increase in foot traffic, while businesses and tourism-related organizations have begun incorporating the shark into social-media promotions.
One local district is even considering turning the shark into an official mascot, reflecting how quickly the unexpected visitor has become associated with Busan’s North Port.
What started as an unusual wildlife sighting has therefore expanded into a temporary tourism and marketing phenomenon.
Authorities Face a Different Problem: Getting the Shark Back to Sea
While thousands of people are eager to see the shark, authorities are also focused on the animal’s safety and the growing crowds.
For the remainder of the holiday, officials plan to monitor the situation while managing visitor congestion.
If the shark remains in the canal after Chuseok, authorities are preparing a plan to guide it back toward open water.
Korean reporting says the National Institute of Fisheries Science is designing a net that could be used for the operation, with government agencies expected to discuss the details and division of responsibilities after the holiday.
For now, officials are waiting to see whether the shark leaves the canal on its own.
From Wildlife Sighting to Chuseok Phenomenon
The unexpected arrival has created one of the holiday’s most unusual scenes: thousands of people gathering at a Busan waterfront not for a festival, concert or major sporting event, but simply to catch a glimpse of a shark.
The numbers tell the story.
About 2,000 people normally visit the park on a holiday. On Sept. 24, the estimated figure reached 102,000.
A single shark turned an ordinary waterfront attraction into one of Busan’s biggest Chuseok crowd magnets.
And as the holiday continues, the question is no longer simply how many people will come to see “Buk-kang-i” next — but when the unexpected visitor will finally leave the canal.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
