Viral Shark Bukang-i Returns to South Korean Canal After Failed Rescue Attempt
A three-metre-long dusky shark that became a viral sensation after swimming into a South Korean canal on September 18 has returned to the waterway just hours after rescue workers guided it out to sea. The female shark, nicknamed Bukang-i by local fans, swam back past barriers overnight following a Wednesday operation in the port city of Busan, leaving authorities to launch a fresh rescue effort on Thursday morning.
Shark Evades Rescue Workers After Eight Hour Operation
During Wednesday’s operation, workers used nets fixed to floating pontoons to steer the animal toward open water. The complex maneuver required divers to navigate the canal’s underwater terrain and varying depths while preventing the shark from turning back. Hundreds of onlookers cheered as rescue workers spent more than eight hours guiding the three-metre-long creature toward a harbor, but the animal ultimately circumvented the blockade. An oceans ministry official told AFP that the shark dived beneath a net and returned, ending up positioned between an outer net and an inner barrier installed 30 to 40 metres further inside the narrow waterway.
Thursday’s renewed intervention involved removing a screen that threatened to block the exit route, replacing the net the shark had slipped under, and raising the outer barrier. Authorities had previously attempted to steer Bukang-i back to open water on September 29 and October 2 using water jets and nets, but both initial efforts failed.
Fame and Economic Surge in Busan
The prolonged stay of the marine predator near high-rise buildings and a major high-speed rail station transformed the site into a major tourist attraction. More than 1.6 million people visited the waterfront location through October 20 to catch a glimpse of the animal, according to figures from the Busan Infrastructure Corporation. Lee Min-jeung, a 39-year-old travel content creator from Seoul, said she traveled to Busan four times to observe the animal, expressing relief upon hearing of its initial departure.
The influx of visitors provided a distinct economic lift for the area. Local businesses reported a surge in sales, while municipal promoters embraced the animal as an unofficial city mascot. The phenomenon spawned commercial tie-ins, including a commemorative soju beverage, a baseball mascot outfitted in a shark cape, and an honorary city ambassadorship. The high-profile presence also drew national political attention, with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visiting the canal in mid-October.
Experts Fear Shark May Perish from Starvation
Despite the public fascination, marine experts and government officials voiced growing concern over the animal’s physical condition. Choi Yoon, a shark expert at Kunsan National University, told the Hankyoreh newspaper that the dusky shark could perish within two weeks due to starvation, falling water temperatures, and abrasions visible on its snout and fin. An oceans ministry official noted that the animal appeared to have difficulty maintaining balance, and observers circulated social media footage showing a bloodied snout while noting the animal had not been observed feeding since September.
Environmental groups and fisheries researchers linked the unusual inland appearance to broader marine shifts. The National Institute of Fisheries Science recorded 46 large sharks off the country’s east coast in the first half of the year, nearly four times the volume recorded during the same period last year. The species is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with researchers attributing the rise in sightings to warming waters and a subsequent northward migration of warm-water fish.