In brief
In Busan, South Korea, a gray reef shark dubbed Bukangi has become both a tourist magnet and a rescue challenge. After weeks of nets a attempting to guide her into the open sea, she returned to her canal home. Authorities have now fortified barriers, but the shark continues to circle the waterway’s mouth. The incident has sparked split opinions—some locals see her as a mascot, while others fear her wellbeing will suffer if she stays trapped.
Three‑metre shark named Bukangi has made headlines in Busan, South Korea, after refusing to leave a canal it was once guided into.
A rescue that kept going
Rescuers spent more than eight hours on Wednesday using a net to coax the shark into the harbor’s open water. Hundreds of tourists, many of them first‑time visitors, cheered at the #Bukangi moment, turning the incident into a viral sensation. Only hours later, the shark surged back and broke through a newly installed barrier.
Barriers and controversy
City officials bolstered the canal’s exit with a double‑layer net system, hoping to prevent another escape. Yet the marine animal keeps circling the mouth, suggesting it’s drawn by warm waters and abundant fish life, experts say. The incident has ignited divergent views: some residents consider the shark a living emblem of Busan, while others worry about its health and risk of loss at sea.
What locals are saying
Cho Hannah, a tourist from North Gyeongsang Province, argued that "Bukangi has made this canal her home" and should not be forced out. In contrast, Yoon In‑taek and Shin Seungmin voiced concerns that the shark’s living conditions were deteriorating, preferring it to return to the open ocean where it could “feed freely in a healthy life.”
While the rescue operations have ceased, patrols patrol the canal for the shark, ready to act if she attempts another escape. The event underscores growing concerns over the impacts of a warming sea on local marine life, and the complex interplay between tourism, wildlife, and community sentiment in coastal cities like Busan.
