A wayward shark has become an unlikely celebrity in South Korea, drawing massive crowds, earning plaudits from the local mayor and even moving the stock market.
The dusky shark — affectionately nicknamed "Bukhangi" by fans — was spotted last month in an artificial waterway in Busan's North Port harbour, with climate activists linking its appearance to climate change.
The name Bukhangi is derived from "Buk Hang", the Korean name for North Port, and the Korean suffix "-i".
The 3m shark, a species typically found in tropical climates, has since amassed a huge following, drawing more than 1.6 million people to the Busan canal for a glimpse in person — bringing an unexpected boon to the local economy.
South Korean authorities twice tried unsuccessfully to steer Bukhangi back to sea, using water jets and then nets, before launching a third attempt on Wednesday morning as the water grows colder.
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After failed attempts in recent weeks, South Korean officials finally freed Bukhangi on Wednesday, after falling temperatures in the Busan canal where it was stranded raised concerns for its survival.
Officials used a floating platform to herd Bukhangi, and after lingering at the canal’s mouth, it eventually swam out to sea, Busan mayor Chun Jae-soo said.
In a separate statement earlier on Wednesday, South Korea's oceans ministry said the limited water depth in the artificial waterway also prompted authorities to launch their third attempt.
Busan authorities livestreamed the operation as curious onlookers gathered along the canal for another glimpse of the shark.
Busan authorities fixed nets to floating pontoons, which were moved gradually as the shark headed toward the open sea.
The nets were intended to block its return to the waterway once it passed, they said.
An ocean ministry official told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency that experts had raised concerns about the shark's health because it "had not been seen eating and appeared to have difficulty maintaining its balance while swimming".
"These were not normal signs, and the experts believed its condition appeared to be deteriorating," the official said.
In their first attempt, authorities tried to guide the shark towards the sea using vessels equipped with water jets, but the shark swam away and remained in the canal.
For the second attempt, authorities used a 50m-long, 6.8m-high net to keep the shark from turning back toward the canal.
A vessel pulled the centre of the net while five people on each side moved along the waterfront, coordinating their speed to guide the shark toward the sea. But the shark remained in the canal.
The shark has also been celebrated for its unexpected boost to the local economy, with Busan mayor Chun Jae-soo thanking it for generating publicity he said would otherwise have cost "trillions".
Sales of shark-shaped ice cream bars jumped nearly 30 per cent at nearby convenience stores.
In tribute to its contributions, Bukhangi was elected an honorary public relations ambassador for the city with a stonking 91 per cent of the vote.
Others are cashing in — shares in The Pinkfong Company, the studio behind the viral Baby Shark song, briefly surged more than 7 per cent.
But environmental groups say the shark's appearance should be seen as a warning of the climate crisis, rather than a spectacle or economic boost.
They link its arrival to warming seas, saying rising temperatures are pushing warm-water fish northward — and subtropical sharks in pursuit.
Bull sharks are usually found in subtropical and tropical waters.
Sharks venturing into South Korean waters is "not common at all", Kim Jin-koo, a professor of global fisheries at Pukyong National University, said.
"As water temperatures around South Korea have risen, it appears to have moved closer to the country's coast," Kim said.
The fish's fame has also been accompanied by a flood of false rumours.
A few days after its appearance, authorities said that a second fish had been spotted in the area — prompting some social media users to suggest it was Bukhangi's child and share AI-generated images purporting to show the pair.
An official at Busan's park policy division told AFP that no additional sharks have been spotted since Bukhangi's appearance.
The shark joins a list of unlikely animal celebrities in South Korea — most notably Neukgu, a young wolf that escaped from a zoo in April.
The lost pup spent nine days on the lam before being recaptured.
