[Visit Busan] Meet Bukangi, the Shark Who Came to Visit Busan 🦈 (Bukhang Waterfront Park)

Hello, everyone! 

Saturdays are usually webtoon day, but this week there's a very special visitor in Busan that everyone's talking about, so I'm bringing you a special edition instead. Don't worry, the webtoon will be back next week!

So who's this famous visitor? It's a shark named Bukangi, who swam into a canal at Bukhang Waterfront Park (북항 친수공원, also known as North Port Waterfront Park)!

📍 Who is Bukangi?

Bukangi was first spotted in the park's canal on September 18. It's about 3 to 3.5 meters long and is believed to be a copper shark (also known as a bronze whaler), a species in the requiem shark family.

The name comes from "Bukhang" (북항), which means "North Port," the area where the shark was found. In Korean, people often add "-i" to the end of a name to make it sound friendly and cute, a bit like turning "Bob" into "Bobby." So the Busan Facilities Corporation, which manages the park, named the shark "Bukhangi," meaning "our little North Port friend." When you say it out loud in Korean, the sounds blend together and it comes out as "Bukangi." Cute, right? 

Nobody knows for sure why Bukangi hasn't left the canal. Some say it followed fish into the canal and can't find its way out because the waterway curves. Others think it simply likes it there, with plenty of food and a comfortable place to stay. I guess only Bukangi knows the real answer!

🌳 About Bukhang Waterfront Park

This was actually my second visit to the park, but I have to admit I didn't even know its name until now. I'd always just called it "that big park behind Busan Station." Thanks to Bukangi, I finally learned its proper name!

Bukhang Waterfront Park was built as part of the North Port redevelopment project. It's right next to Busan Station, connected by a pedestrian bridge, so it's very easy to get to. The park has a multipurpose plaza, a lawn, a floor fountain, and wooden decks, making it a great spot for families and people of all ages.

At night, colorful lights fill the park, and with Busan Harbor Bridge in the background, it has become one of Busan's newest night-view spots. If you ever visit Busan by train, it's a perfect place for a short walk while you wait for your train.

Bukhang Waterfront Park on the first day of the Chuseok holiday. It was packed!

🦈 The Day We Met Bukangi

Bukangi has been in the news every day, and it seems Halbae (my dad) had been curious about it all along. On the first day of the Chuseok holiday, I asked him, "Where would you like to go for some fresh air?" and he answered without hesitation, "I want to see Bukangi!" So off we went to the North Port with Halbae and Halmae.

We didn't need to search for Bukangi at all. The most crowded spots along the canal were the best places to see it! There were people of all ages, from little kids to grandparents, and since the park is so close to Busan Station, many visitors seemed to be people who had come to Busan for the holiday. Later, I saw in the news that about 102,000 people visited the park that day. No wonder it was so crowded!

To get right up to the railing, we had to wait until the people in front of us finished watching. But the line moved faster than expected. Safety staff and police officers were stationed around the canal, and announcements kept asking people not to stay in one spot for too long. Most people stepped back after seeing Bukangi two or three times, so everyone got a turn. According to the news, 150 safety staff were on site. Thanks to them, everything stayed calm and orderly despite the huge crowd.

Finally, we got our spot at the railing, and Halbae and Halmae stared into the water with great excitement. And the result? Success! We saw Bukangi! It seemed to swim by at least once every 10 minutes or so. It didn't come up high enough for its fin to show above the water, but it came close enough to the surface that we could clearly see its shape.

When Halmae saw Bukangi, she said, "What a sleek and pretty shark!" Halbae said, "I thought it would be huge, but it's not as big as I expected." Even so, they kept talking about Bukangi all the way home.

🌊 What Happens to Bukangi Now?

Of course, Bukangi can't stay in the canal forever. The authorities decided to wait during the Chuseok holiday to see if it would leave on its own. If it's still there after the holiday, they plan to carefully guide it back out to sea, using nets if necessary. Hopefully, Bukangi will be back in the open ocean soon!

💡 How Busan Is Keeping Everyone Safe

For safety, access to the canal area is closed every day from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Visitors are also asked to take turns at the railing and never throw food into the water, so that Bukangi can stay healthy and return safely to the sea. Everyone is cheering for Bukangi with their eyes only!

🐾 Before I go...

I wonder what kind of face Namu would make if she heard about this giant fish she's never seen before? Bukangi, you've met enough people now. Go back to the sea and see your friends!

💬 Let's Chat!

Have you ever seen a shark up close, or has a surprise animal visitor ever shown up in your town? Let me know in the comments!

🔗 Reference Links

• Visit Busan – North Port Waterfront Park: https://www.visitbusan.net/en/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000301001001000&uc_seq=2081&lang_cd=en
• Related news (The Korea Times): https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20260925/shark-fever-hits-busan-as-102000-rush-to-see-bukangi-at-start-of-chuseok-break