Korea Insight Now: Bukangi the Shark: Why a 3.5m Shark in Busan's North Port Became Korea's Chuseok Star

Imagine walking out of a train station in Korea's second-biggest city and finding a crowd of 100,000 people staring into a canal. They are all waiting for one thing: a 3.5-meter shark.

That is what is happening right now in Busan (부산). A wild shark swam into a man-made canal at the city's North Port on September 18, 2026, and it still has not left. Koreans have nicknamed it Bukangi (부캉이), and it has turned into the surprise star of this year's Chuseok (추석) holiday.

So why is one shark such big news? Here is the short version, and then the full story.

At a Glance

A shark about 3–3.5 m long has been living in a canal at Busan's North Port Waterfront Park since September 18, 2026.
Experts think it is a copper shark, a species that can be dangerous to people. It seems to be lost, not hunting.
About 201,000 people came to see it on just the first two days of the Chuseok holiday (Sept 24–25).
Officials are waiting until September 27 for it to swim out on its own. If it stays, they plan to gently push it out to sea with a giant net.
The canal-side path is closed every day from 6 PM to 6 AM for safety.

First, Where Exactly Is This?

Bukhang (북항) means "North Port." It is the oldest part of the Port of Busan, and it sits right next to Busan Station, where the KTX high-speed train from Seoul arrives.

For most of its history, ordinary people could not walk there. It was a working cargo port. After Busan's much larger New Port opened in 2006, the old port area started a big redevelopment. Starting in late 2021, parts of it opened to the public as a seaside park. Yonhap News described it as the North Port returning to citizens "after 146 years."

That park is the North Port Waterfront Park, called Chinsu Gongwon (친수공원) in Korean. It has a long scenic canal that is connected to the sea, with footbridges and walking paths along it. That canal is where the shark ended up.

Busan North Port (Bukhang) seen from the water, with the passenger terminal and high-rise towers near Busan Station

Busan's North Port seen from the water. The waterfront park and its canal are in this redeveloped harbor area near Busan Station. Photo: D-Stanley / Flickr, CC BY 2.0, resized.

What Happened: The Shark's Timeline

September 18, 8:57 AM. A passerby told the Busan Coast Guard (부산해양경찰서) there was a shark in the park's canal. It had swum close to the walking path.

The Coast Guard sent rescue boats and tried to steer the shark back to open water. After about six hours, it still would not leave. On the advice of the National Institute of Fisheries Science (국립수산과학원, NIFS), Korea's government ocean research body, they stopped. Pushing a large shark too hard can make it aggressive, so the safer choice was to wait.

The city sent an emergency text to people nearby, warning them to be careful near the canal.

The next few days. Instead of scaring people away, the news pulled them in. Videos spread on social media, someone came up with the nickname, and people started sharing tips on the best spots to see it.

The numbers tell the story. The park normally gets about 2,000 visitors a day. Around 40,000 people came in the first five days. Then Chuseok started.

September 24–25 (Chuseok holiday). About 102,000 people visited on the first day of the holiday, roughly 50 times a normal holiday. Another 100,000 came on Chuseok Day itself, between 5 AM and 6 PM. That makes about 201,000 in two days, according to the Busan Facilities Corporation (부산시설공단), which manages the park.

Visitors lining the railing of the canal at Busan North Port Waterfront Park to look for the shark Bukangi

People lining the canal railing to watch for the shark (September 22, 2026). Faces were blurred by the original creator. Frame from a VISIT BUSAN YouTube video, CC BY. Cropped and resized.

Why "Bukangi"?

The nickname is a little Korean wordplay.

In Korean, the ㄱ (k) at the end of 북 (buk) and the ㅎ (h) at the start of 항 (hang) blend into a stronger "k" sound. So 북항 is written "Bukhang" but sounds more like "Bu-kang." Add 이 (-i), a friendly ending Koreans often put on names and pet names, and you get Bukangi: roughly "the little North Port one."

A big, possibly dangerous shark with a cute name is a big part of why the story is so much fun for people.

What Kind of Shark Is It?

NIFS believes Bukangi is a copper shark (무태상어, mutae-sangeo), also called a bronze whaler. This species lives in warm seas around the world, including Korea's coast, and it is classified as potentially dangerous to people. One shark expert quoted by the Seoul Shinmun said it could also be a dusky shark (흑상어), a close relative.

No one has caught it or tested it, so the species is still "presumed," not confirmed.

Bukangi, the shark in the canal at Busan North Port Waterfront Park, swimming past stepping stones on September 22, 2026

Bukangi swimming past the stepping stones in the park's canal (filmed September 22, 2026). Frame from a VISIT BUSAN (Busan Tourism Organization) YouTube video by creator Lee Ha-young, CC BY. Cropped to remove on-screen text and resized.

Why Did It Come In, and Why Won't It Leave?

Nobody knows for sure. But experts have a pretty clear guess.

It probably followed food. A NIFS researcher told YTN that copper sharks like water around 23–24°C and are often seen off Jeju Island and Korea's southeast coast. They chase schools of fish like yellowtail, mackerel, and horse mackerel. Bukangi likely followed fish close to shore and wandered into the canal by accident.

Then it got lost. The canal bends, and NIFS thinks the shark simply cannot find the way out. A shark expert told the Seoul Shinmun that it keeps bumping into walls and the bottom as it turns, which may be why it keeps circling.

The dorsal fin and body of the shark Bukangi just below the surface of the canal at Busan North Port

Bukangi's dorsal fin breaking the surface on September 25, 2026 (Chuseok). Frame from a YouTube video by 전동명 (Jeon Dong-myeong), CC BY. Resized.

The good news: it is not in immediate danger. The canal is only about 3–4 m deep, but that is enough for it to swim. There are also fish like mullet in there for it to eat. Still, experts say a large, far-ranging ocean shark should not stay in a narrow canal for long.

So Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

It is not just "a shark showed up." Several things came together at once.

1. You can see a wild shark for free, in the middle of the city

Most people only see sharks this big behind aquarium glass. Here, you can watch one swim right under a footbridge, a short walk from a train station.

2. The timing was perfect

Chuseok is Korea's autumn harvest holiday, when millions travel to their hometowns. This year it ran from September 24 to 27. Busan Station is only about 500 m from the park, so many families stepped off the train and walked straight over to shark-watch.

3. It feels like a limited-time event

Every day, people wonder: is Bukangi still there? Everyone knows it could leave at any moment, or be guided out after the holiday. A Korean business newspaper, the Financial News, called it a naturally made "limited-time event."

4. There are real worries, too

It is not all fun. People are talking about three concerns:

Crowd safety. The city called this an "unpredictable crowd concentration," meaning a huge crowd that gathers on its own, with no organizer. Footbridges 4 and 5 are the busiest spots.
The shark's wellbeing. Many people want Bukangi to get home safely, not just to stay as an attraction.
Warmer seas. Yonhap reported that hot summer water has made shark sightings off Busan more frequent. The NIFS researcher said linking this one shark directly to climate change would be a stretch, but longer stays by warm-water fish near the coast bring more sharks with them.

5. Everyone wants a piece of the shark

Nearby cafés and convenience stores are suddenly packed. Brands like Ediya Coffee, a local soju maker, and a Busan aquarium have posted shark-themed social media content.

Dong District (동구), the district that includes the park, said it will hold a nationwide contest in early October to name and design a shark character for souvenirs and promotion. Some news outlets reported that the district wants the shark as a new mascot, while a district official told others it will not be the district's formal official mascot.

What Happens Next?

Here is the plan agreed on September 22 by the Busan city government, the Busan Port Authority, the Coast Guard, and NIFS:

Until Sept 27 (last day of Chuseok): wait and hope Bukangi swims out by itself.
Sept 28: if it is still there, officials meet again.
After that: use a giant net, about 50 m wide to match the canal, like a moving screen to slowly push the shark toward the sea. Making the net could take up to four days. A NIFS official told the Seoul Shinmun the operation might be possible around October 2.

Officials stress that the best outcome is the shark leaving on its own, because force can stress it and cause accidents.

Q

Q. Is it dangerous to go see Bukangi?
The shark is in the water and visitors are on paths and bridges above it, so the main risk is actually the crowd. Police and safety staff are on site, and announcements ask people not to lean on or climb the railings. Follow staff directions.

Q. Can I visit? When?
The park is open, but the canal-side area is closed every day from 6 PM to 6 AM. The city has asked visitors to take public transportation because traffic around the park has been jammed. From Busan Station, it is about a 500 m walk.

Q. Will I definitely see the shark?
No guarantee. Bukangi does not show up on schedule; sometimes you only get a glimpse of a fin. It may also leave, or be guided out, soon. Check the latest news before you go.

Q. What does "Bukangi" mean?
It comes from Bukhang (북항, North Port), pronounced "Bu-kang," plus the friendly name ending -i. Think of it as "the little North Port one."

Sources

Photo credits: VISIT BUSAN (Busan Tourism Organization), video by creator Lee Ha-young (@moonlight_travelog), YouTube, CC BY: two frames, cropped and resized. 전동명 (Jeon Dong-myeong), YouTube, CC BY: one frame, resized. D-Stanley, "Busan Port International Passenger Terminal," Flickr, CC BY 2.0, resized.

Information current as of September 25, 2026 (KST). This is a developing story.