{
  "id": 9687102,
  "title": "Shark fever hits Busan as 102,000 rush to see 'Bukangi' at start of Chuseok break",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/shark-fever-hits-busan-as-102-000-rush-to-see-bukangi-at-start-of",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T03:27:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20260925/shark-fever-hits-busan-as-102000-rush-to-see-bukangi-at-start-of-chuseok-break"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than 102,000 individuals swarmed a waterfront park in Busan's North Port on the opening day of the Chuseok holiday, eager to catch a glimpse of the shark dubbed \"Bukangi\" that had been sighted in a nearby canal. The influx of visitors was approximately 50 times higher than the usual holiday attendance for the park in Dong District. According to the Busan Facilities Corporation, around 93,000 people had already visited the waterfront park by 6 p.m. on Wednesday, with an estimated total of about 102,000 visitors throughout the day. The park normally draws about 2,000 visitors on holiday periods. The shark, which was sighted at North Port and nicknamed Bukangi, has become a local sensation, attracting a significant crowd even during the holiday season. Situated just 500 meters from Busan Station and easily accessible on foot, the waterfront park was bustling with activity on Wednesday afternoon. In response to the overwhelming number of visitors, the Busan Metropolitan City issued a safety alert, urging people to avoid driving and instead utilize public transportation to manage the congestion in the area. To ensure everyone's safety, the city initiated further restrictions to regulate the flow of people in and around the park.",
  "summary": "More than 100,000 people flocked to a waterfront park at Busan’s North Port on Wednesday, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, hoping to catch a glimpse of a shark nicknamed “Bukangi” that has been spotted in a canal there. The turnout was about 50 times the park’s usual holiday visitor count. According to the Busan Facilities Corporation on Thursday, approximately 93,000 people had visited the…",
  "key_points": [
    "Over 102,000 people visited waterfront park in Busan on Chuseok opening day",
    "Shark named Bukangi attracted massive crowds, 50x usual park attendance",
    "Busan authorities issued safety alert to manage congestion and traffic"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The massive influx of visitors to see the shark dubbed Bukangi has turned a normally quiet waterfront park into a major tourist draw, prompting safety alerts and traffic restrictions.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Shark fever hits Busan as 102,000 rush to see 'Bukangi' at start of Chuseok break",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/shark-fever-hits-busan-as-102-000-rush-to-see-bukangi-at-start-of-9690375",
        "published": "2026-09-25T03:42:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}