YouTubers patrol Busan waterfront at night to shield stranded shark from lanterns
In short
YouTube streamers including “Busan Jam” and “Heunggugi” have been broadcasting live from Busan's North Port waterfront park at night and, according to Maeil Business and Asia Economy, also keeping watch for visitors who shine strong lights on the shark known as Bookangi. An online post said a person shining a large lantern at the shark at around 8:30 pm was chased away, with about 15 people nearby leaving. The shark was first found on Sept 18 and has stayed in the artificial waterway despite two attempts to guide it out to sea; authorities say they will wait for it to leave on its own.
Read the full story 2 min read
YouTubers have been running night patrols around the artificial waterway at the North Port waterfront park in Busan to watch over a shark that has stayed there for weeks, Maeil Business and Asia Economy reported on Oct 7. The streamers, identified in the reports as “Busan Jam” and “Heunggugi,” broadcast live at night, showing the shark — called Bookangi — and checking whether visitors shine strong lights on it or otherwise disturb it. Newsis also carried photos of the shark and of a live broadcast by “Heunggugi” at the site. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
An online post cited by Maeil Business said a person shining a large lantern at Bookangi was caught at around 8:30 pm, that the YouTuber Busan Jam chased the person away, and that about 15 people who had been nearby left the spot. Asia Economy reported that a YouTuber wrote on his own channel board that he had chased away “the villain” shining a large lantern at the shark, adding that around 15 people left and that nobody nearby stopped it. The two accounts differ over which streamer was involved, and neither gives a date for the incident. Earlier, online posts about visitors using flashlights and large lanterns on the shark at night had drawn controversy. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Bookangi was first found on Sept 18 in the artificial waterway, and a National Institute of Fisheries Science survey identified it as a female black shark about 3 metres long, the outlets reported. Busan city and related agencies carried out two operations to guide the shark out to open sea, but it remains in the waterway. Authorities plan to wait for it to leave on its own for now, and the net installed during the second operation was removed at around 4:20 pm on Oct 3, Asia Economy reported. Maeil Business said the city is waiting for the shark to move out in response to food and water temperature changes. [ 3 , 4 ]
Visitors coming to see the shark passed 1 million as of Oct 4, according to Asia Economy. Local nicknames for those keeping watch include “Bookangi keepers” and “Bookangi vigilantes,” and Maeil Business quoted online comments thanking the patrollers and saying the animal should be allowed to rest. [ 3 , 4 ]
Kukmin Ilbo, in a headline published at 08:18, said light pours on the shark every night and that it has wounds on its body. The outlet carried no article text in its feed, and no other document reports injuries to the shark. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The case puts a stranded urban wild animal at the centre of a public-behaviour dispute, with private streamers effectively taking on a watching role at a city site that the city has not cleared. Busan city and related agencies have chosen to wait rather than carry out further rescue attempts, so the shark's stay and the crowds around it are likely to continue. The reports frame the issue as one of visitor conduct rather than of official failure.
Key facts
- YouTubers identified as “Busan Jam” and “Heunggugi” broadcast live from around the North Port waterfront park in Busan at night and check whether visitors shine strong lights on or provoke the shark [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- An online post said a person shining a large lantern at the shark at around 8:30 pm was chased away, and that about 15 people who had been nearby left the spot [ 3 , 4 ]
- The shark, called Bookangi, was first found on Sept 18 in the artificial waterway at the North Port waterfront park [ 3 , 4 ]
- A National Institute of Fisheries Science survey identified it as a female black shark about 3 metres long [ 3 , 4 ]
- A net installed during the second rescue operation was removed at around 4:20 pm on Oct 3, and authorities plan to wait for the shark to leave on its own [ 4 ]
- Visitors coming to see the shark passed 1 million as of Oct 4 [ 4 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo published a headline saying light pours on the shark every night and that it has wounds on its body [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- YouTubers patrolled the Busan North Port waterfront park at night and streamed live, monitoring visitors [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- A person was reported to have shone a large lantern at the shark at around 8:30 pm and to have been chased away, with about 15 people nearby leaving [ 3 , 4 ]
- The shark was first found on Sept 18 in the artificial waterway and was identified by the National Institute of Fisheries Science as a female black shark about 3 metres long [ 3 , 4 ]
- Authorities plan to wait for the shark to leave the waterway on its own rather than carry out further rescue operations [ 3 , 4 ]
- Local nicknames for the patrolling group include “Bookangi keepers” and “Bookangi vigilantes” [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the shark has wounds on its body Only Kukmin Ilbo's headline states this; the outlet carried no article text and no other document mentions injuries
- Which streamer chased the lantern-carrying visitor away Maeil Business attributed it to Busan Jam via an SNS post, while Asia Economy said an unnamed YouTuber wrote on his own channel board that he chased the person away
- Exactly when the 8:30 pm lantern incident happened Both outlets describe it as an online post about a recent night without giving a date
- Whether the lights have affected the shark's condition The documents describe the lights as a controversy and a target of patrols but give no account of their effect from authorities
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Bookangi is first found in the artificial waterway at the North Port waterfront park in Busan [ 3 , 4 ]
- The net installed during the second rescue operation is taken down (Oct 3) [ 4 ]
- A person is reported in an online post to have shone a large lantern at the shark and to have been chased away; the date is not given [ 3 , 4 ]
- Visitors coming to see the shark exceed 1 million, as of Oct 4 [ 4 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a headline saying light pours on the shark nightly and that it has wounds on its body [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes photos of the shark, a Threads post about a visitor with a large lantern and a live broadcast by YouTuber “Heunggugi” [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business reports the appearance of the night patrols and the background on the shark [ 3 ]
- Asia Economy reports the patrols, the two rescue attempts and the net's removal [ 4 ]