Over 200,000 flock to Busan's North Port during Hangul Day holiday to see shark 'Bukang-i'

Crowds pour in after Gaecheonjeol holiday; cumulative visitors since discovery reach 1.35 million

3-meter blacktip shark remains in canal despite two rescue attempts

Visitors from across the country hold up cameras to catch a glimpse of the shark spotted in the waterway at North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan. [Yonhap]

More than 200,000 visitors descended on Busan's North Port Waterfront Park during the Hangul Day holiday weekend to see "Bukang-i," a shark that has taken up long-term residence in the park's artificial waterway.

According to the Busan Facilities Corporation, the cumulative visitor count at North Port Waterfront Park from Friday through Sunday at 6 p.m. reached 205,000. The park drew 74,000 visitors on Friday and 75,000 on Saturday, with another 56,000 arriving Sunday.

A similar surge occurred during the Gaecheonjeol holiday earlier this month. Over the three days from Oct. 3 through Oct. 5, the park welcomed 264,000 visitors.

Since Bukang-i was first spotted on Sept. 18, the park's cumulative visitor count has climbed to 1,348,800.

Bukang-i is a blacktip shark measuring about 3 meters in length. Authorities have launched two rescue operations, but the shark remains in the artificial waterway.

North Port Waterfront Park has emerged as a local attraction in recent weeks, drawing residents and tourists eager to watch Bukang-i swim through the canal and surface in view.

brunch@heraldcorp.com