An ordinary urban park in Busan, South Korea, unexpectedly turned into one of the country's main attractions. The reason was a 3.5-meter shark that swam into an artificial canal and could not find its way back to the sea. Over 600,000 people came to see it in just a few days. As reported by [Yonhap](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260929005951315), the shark was first spotted on September 18 in the artificial water canal of North Port Waterfront Park in Busan. Experts believe it is a bronze shark, or bronze whaler. It is presumed that it chased prey, swam from the sea into the narrow canal, and then could not find its way back out. Local residents quickly gave the unexpected guest the name Bukang-i, which is derived from the name of Busan's North Port and a Korean suffix. ### Instead of Two Thousand Visitors — Hundreds of Thousands The appearance of the shark caused a real sensation. People began to come specifically to the park to see the large marine predator swimming literally within the city limits. According to city services, about 483,000 people visited the park during just four holiday days. Since the shark's appearance on September 18, the total number of visitors has exceeded 600,000. For comparison, the park usually sees about two thousand visitors a day. Crowds gathered by the canal. People photographed the shark, filmed videos, and followed its movements along the shore. ### Efforts to Send the Shark Home However, for Bukang-i, the prolonged stay in the canal turned out to be far from entertaining. Experts from the National Institute of Fisheries Science stated that the animal's condition remains stable for now. But the limited space hinders the shark's ability to move and feed normally, so it may weaken over time. On September 29, the Busan Coast Guard and other services began a special operation to return the shark to open waters. Five vessels were sent to the artificial canal. They followed the shark and attempted to gradually guide it toward the canal's exit using powerful jets of water. But the plan did not work. The shark proved to be more agile than the rescuers: it evaded the directed water streams several times, maneuvered around the boats, and returned to the depths of the canal. After several hours of operation, authorities acknowledged the first attempt as unsuccessful. ### Now Preparing a Special Net Authorities are not giving up on saving Bukang-i. The next attempt is planned to be conducted using a specially made net that matches the width and depth of the artificial waterway. With its help, the shark is expected to be gradually guided to the exit into open sea. At the same time, specialists are trying to act cautiously. A more aggressive attempt to drive the animal out could lead to injury or cause stress and aggressive reactions in the shark. ### The Shark Has Been Made an Honorary Ambassador During its forced stay in Busan, Bukang-i has become a true local celebrity. City authorities even decided to appoint it as an honorary ambassador of Busan. The idea was preliminarily put to a vote on social media: 91% of participants supported it, and posts related to the shark gathered over a million views. In South Korea, an unofficial definition has already been coined for Bukang-i — "shafluencer," meaning a kind of "shark influencer." Now, the authorities of Busan face an unusual task: to return the main unexpected tourist star of recent days back to the sea without causing it harm. Meanwhile, as long as Bukang-i remains in the urban canal, people continue to come to see the shark that inadvertently brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to one city park.
