North Port looks to keep tourists coming with new attractions after Bukangi's departure

[Financial News] A shark named “Bukangi,” which appeared at North Port Waterfront Park and became a nationwide sensation, disappeared ten days ago, and the many people who had gathered to see it have also left. The Busan city government and its affiliated public agencies are now considering ways to turn North Port Waterfront Park, which gained nationwide recognition through Bukangi, into a sustainable tourism asset rather than a passing craze.
According to the Busan Facilities Corporation on the 6th, visitor numbers at North Port Waterfront Park, where Bukangi had been staying, have remained at around 6,000 on weekdays and 10,000 on weekends so far this week. At the height of the excitement over seeing Bukangi, as many as about 100,000 people visited the park in a single day.

The local government and related agencies are busy drawing up plans to use North Port, which has come back into the spotlight thanks to the “Bukangi phenomenon,” as a new tourism attraction.
Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) was the first to act. On the 29th of last month, it held the “2026 Inbound Travel Agency Familiarization Tour to Discover Ecotourism Content” in the area around North Port Waterfront Park, inviting major inbound travel agencies in Korea.
At the event, BTO held working-level consultations with representatives of international travel agencies from Greater China, Japan and elsewhere on developing practical tourism products in North Port. They agreed to focus on storytelling and content promotion that would vividly convey the appeal of North Port Waterfront Park, which can coexist in harmony with the natural ecosystem, drawing on Busan’s distinctive identity as a city where the sea and urban life come together.
From the 8th through the 22nd, the Busan Facilities Corporation will run “Ecology Stories from Bukangi,” a public-participation ecological experience program at the waterfront park. The program will be held twice a day every Sunday, for a total of six sessions. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis through the Busan Park Cultural Events Program website.
The corporation has also prepared a variety of programs to raise awareness of climate change and environmental pollution in an approachable way, using the character of Bukangi, which recently won the public’s attention and affection in the canal at North Port Waterfront Park. Activities include finding stuffed endangered animals hidden around the park, plogging to clean up the park, upcycling workshops, and making sachet air fresheners from discarded gel ice packs.
On the 14th, Busan City will hold “Run, Busan: Running Festival,” a public-participation festival that combines running with play, at North Port Waterfront Park. The city plans to turn the waterfront park grounds into a running playground where visitors can enjoy a variety of running activities and games throughout the venue.
Mayor Jeon Jae-su said, “We plan to turn North Port Waterfront Park into a running playground and make this festival one where everyone can run and have fun together,” adding, “We will continue to expand opportunities for citizens to enjoy health and fun in a variety of ways.”

[email protected] Byun Ok-hwan Reporter