A Busan park with an endangered shark in its waterway nears 1.4 million visitors
Since mid-September, a shark about 3 meters long has been living in the man-made waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park (북항친수공원) in Dong-gu, Busan. She is nicknamed Bukangi (부캉이), and her species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Two attempts to steer her out to sea have failed, and the park counted 1,387,800 visitors by October 12, travelers from abroad among them.
The essentials
- What: a female shark of about 3 meters, nicknamed Bukangi (부캉이); IUCN status Endangered (EN)
- Where: the waterway of Bukhang Waterfront Park, Dong-gu, Busan; search 북항친수공원 on Naver Map or KakaoMap
- Visitors: 1,387,800 by October 12, counted by the Busan Facilities Corporation since the shark appeared (Maeil Shinmun)
- Status: still in the waterway in October 14 reports; another rescue is under consideration, with no date reported
What happened at Bukhang
She was first spotted on September 18, 2026, according to Digital Times; Yonhap dates her arrival to September 19. Early reports named a different species (무태상어). An analysis by the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), reported by Maeil Shinmun on October 14, found a female of a species Korean reports call heuksangeo (흑상어).
On September 29, from about 11:13, four boats with water pumps tried to herd her seaward and failed, Money Today reported. On October 2, crews worked a 50-meter net down the channel from 15:30 to 17:40 but stopped about 50 meters short of open water, according to The Fact.
The next day she undid that progress herself. At high tide on October 3 she swam back over the net into the inner waterway, Yonhap reported. The net was taken out around 16:20 that afternoon, and officials decided to wait for her to leave on her own.
Why a whole city came out
Before the shark turned up, the park drew about 2,000 people on an average weekend, Yonhap reported. On October 4, 69,000 came by 18:00, bringing the total since her arrival to 891,000, the agency added, citing city figures.
The crowd is international. Yonhap described foreign tourists fresh off the train at Busan Station arriving with their suitcases in tow. In an October 9 report, KBS Busan featured a Chinese cruise passenger and a Canadian visitor, and noted coverage by ABC's Good Morning America in the US and India's News9.
If you go: see it without hurting it
Digital Times reported on October 9 that a scrape on her snout is thought to have come from some visitors shining flashlights at night, which made her thrash against the channel floor. Others reflected sunlight into the water with mirrors. NIFS judged the scrape not serious enough to affect her health much, Maeil Shinmun reported.
- Keep lights and mirrors away. After dark, keep flashlights and phone lights off the water, and never bounce sunlight at her.
- Leave the car behind. On October 4 the outdoor car park at Busan International Passenger Terminal was full and closed from the morning, Yonhap reported.
- Budget time. That same day some people waited more than an hour for a glimpse.
- Know the clock. The water was about 22 to 23°C in mid-October but could fall below 18°C from November, and a NIFS researcher put her limit at about 15 to 16°C. She has not been seen hunting (Maeil Shinmun).
Our verdict
If you are already in Busan, and especially if you arrive by train or cruise ship, she is worth an hour of your day. We would not plan a separate trip around her: she could leave, or be moved, at any point, and nobody has said when. The price of going is the crowd, so bring patience on weekends.
Search 부캉이 in Korean news on the day you go. As of Maeil Shinmun's October 14 report, she was still in the waterway.
Quick links
- Source report (Korean): Maeil Shinmun, October 14
- Crowds and the net (Korean): Yonhap, October 4
- Visitors from abroad (Korean): KBS Busan, October 9
- Also in Busan: how to avoid overcharging on taxis, food and rooms
- More Busan kindness: police tracked down an American family's lost wallet
- Korea Tourism Hotline (free 24/7 multilingual): 1330
- Maeil Shinmun — Busan's 'Bukangi' shark: species confirmed, further rescue under review (October 14, 2026 report: NIFS analysis (female, about 3 m, IUCN Endangered), 1,387,800 visitors to Oct 12, water temperature concerns, rescue under review)
- Yonhap — Crowds flock to Busan's Bukhang park to see the stray shark (October 4, 2026 report: net crossed and removed Oct 3, 69,000 visitors in a day, 891,000 total, full car parks, foreign tourists from Busan Station)
- KBS Busan — Cruise passengers and foreign media join the Bukangi crowds (October 9, 2026 report: Chinese cruise passengers and Canadian tourists visit, coverage by ABC's Good Morning America and India's News9, 1,202,800 visitors by day 22)
- Korea Tourism Hotline 1330 (Free 24/7 multilingual help)