Busan rides 'Bukang-i' shark craze to build eco-tourism products

The Busan Tourism Organization has launched a marketing push to transform the public frenzy surrounding "Bukang-i" — a shark that took up residence in Bukhang Waterfront Park and captured wide attention — into a sustainable eco-tourism product.

On Thursday, the organization invited major domestic inbound travel agencies to Bukhang Waterfront Park for the "2026 Eco-Tourism Content Discovery Inbound Travel Agency Fam Tour," subtitled "In Search of Bukang-i at Bukhang."

The fam tour was designed to extend Busan's tourism reach beyond its traditional eastern hubs — Haeundae and Gwangalli — into the original downtown areas, including Bukhang, which drew fresh attention through the Bukang-i phenomenon. The event also aimed to identify and commercialize Busan's ecological assets as new tourism content.

Representatives from travel agencies targeting key overseas markets — including China, Japan, other Chinese-speaking regions and global operators — attended the event and held on-site consultations on product development.

Bukhang Waterfront Park has drawn nearly 1.7 million tourists eager to catch a glimpse of Bukang-i in recent months. The surge also spurred the production of Bukang-i-related social media content and boosted spending in the surrounding old downtown area, helping to revitalize the local economy.

The Busan Tourism Organization plans to pursue promotional and marketing efforts to turn the Bukang-i phenomenon into a lasting tourism draw. The organization will focus on storytelling that conveys the appeal of Bukhang Waterfront Park — rooted in Busan's distinctive identity as a city where the sea meets the urban landscape — and on digital content promotion centered on social media.

Building on the fam tour, the organization also plans to develop recommended tourism routes that naturally link Bukhang Waterfront Park with existing waterfront attractions and nearby commercial districts. Additional initiatives include eco and running programs, merchandise production and a tourism contest open to residents — all aimed at sustaining secondary tourism activity around the area.