'Is Bukang-i still there?' — 1 million flock to Busan's North Port to see a shark

"I heard Bukang-i is still here, so I came to see it."

The cumulative number of visitors to North Port Waterfront Park in Busan has surpassed 1 million, all drawn by a shark that has taken up residence in the park's artificial waterway. The shark, nicknamed Bukang-i, first appeared in the waterway on Sept. 18.

According to the city of Busan, crowds began filling the waterfront park from 7 a.m. Monday as visitors lined up to catch a glimpse of the shark. By 6 p.m. that day, cumulative attendance at North Port Waterfront Park had reached 1,015,800. On Saturday, the first day of the National Foundation Day holiday, 72,000 people visited the park, followed by 89,000 on Sunday. Another 89,000 turned out on Monday, the final day of the holiday.

Visitors gasped and trailed along the waterway as Bukang-i glided through the channel, many scrambling to capture footage on their smartphones. The walkways and pedestrian bridges lining the waterway were so packed that onlookers formed two and three rows deep along the water's edge.

Rescue authorities have made two attempts to guide Bukang-i back out to open sea, but the shark has remained in the waterway. On Saturday, rising tides allowed it to swim back over a net that had been installed to direct it toward the open ocean.

Authorities have decided to hold off on further rescue operations for now, waiting for the shark to find its own way out. A net installed after the second rescue attempt was removed at around 4:20 p.m. Saturday to clear a passage toward the open sea. The National Institute of Fisheries Science and other agencies, noting that Bukang-i does not appear to be feeding, are continuing to monitor its health and movements.