Lost shark becomes viral star in South Korea, boosts sales and named ambassador

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 predator -- believed to be a bull shark -- popped up in an artificial waterway in the port city of Busan on South Korea's southeast coast this month.

Coast guard boats tried to guide the animal back to the sea by spraying water on it, but the shark -- affectionately nicknamed "Bukhangi" by fans after the port -- did not budge.

And while authorities wonder what to do next, the 3.5-meter (11.5-foot) visitor and the crowds it has drawn have provided an unexpected boon to the local economy.

Sales of shark-shaped ice cream bars jumped nearly 30% at nearby convenience stores.

Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo has thanked the shark for publicity that would otherwise have cost "trillions".

In tribute to its contributions, Bukhangi was elected an honorary public relations ambassador for the city with a stonking 91% 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%.

The company signed an agreement with the Busan city government in July 2022 designating the port city as the official hometown of its Baby Shark characters, part of a joint push to promote Busan through storytelling and tourism marketing.

Members of the South Korean Coast Guard on a boat engage in an operation on the waterway of the North Port Waterfront Park as they attempt to herd a trapped shark toward the open sea in Busan, South Korea, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Photo by Yonhap via AP

Bull sharks are usually found in subtropical and tropical waters.

Sharks venturing into South Korean waters is "not common at all", said Kim Jin-koo, a professor of global fisheries at Pukyong National University.

"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 rumors.

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.

They also said authorities would make another attempt at moving the shark on Friday.

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.