A 3.5-metre bronze whaler shark that swam into a narrow canal at Busan's North Port in September has failed to find its way back out — and in the process turned a quiet waterfront park into one of South Korea's busiest attractions.

Nicknamed Bukang-i after Busan's North Port, the shark was first spotted on 18 September. Experts think it chased prey in from the sea and simply got lost in the waterway. The coastguard's first instinct was to guide it out, but scientists intervened, warning that manhandling the animal could injure it or leave it stressed and aggressive.

A second attempt began on 29 September, using jets of water from coastguard boats to nudge the shark towards the canal entrance — a technique borrowed from a 2004 operation that rescued a great white stranded in shallow water off Massachusetts. That try failed too, with Bukang-i swimming straight past the boats and back into the deeper reaches of the canal. The fisheries institute says the shark is stable for now, though limited space to move and feed will eventually take a toll.

Meanwhile, the crowds keep coming. North Port Waterfront Park typically sees around 2,000 visitors on a public holiday, but the city counted roughly 607,000 visits in the ten days after the shark's arrival, from 19 to 28 September. People line the waterfront waiting for Bukang-i to surface.

Busan has leaned into the moment. After a city Instagram poll in which 91% of respondents backed the idea, officials gave the shark an honorary publicity title — "Shafluencer" — and plan for the city mascot to accept the certificate on its behalf.

There's a bigger story in the background too. Sharks regularly appear in South Korean waters, and the National Institute of Fisheries Science logged 46 large sharks off the east coast in the first half of 2026 — nearly four times the same period a year earlier. Researchers point to warmer seas and more prey as likely drivers.

For travellers, this is a reminder that even a stranded animal can reshape a destination's rhythm, at least briefly. If you're visiting Busan, the North Port waterfront is worth a stroll regardless — and you might just catch a glimpse of the city's most famous temporary resident before officials find a safe way to send it home.

Original report via Getaway South Africa.