Earlier this month, a predator thought to be a bull shark surfaced in an artificial waterway at Busan’s North Port Waterfront Park. The 3.5‑meter animal was quickly nicknamed “Bukhangi” by online fans.

Coast Guard boats tried to herd the shark back to the sea by spraying water, but Bukhangi stayed put, drawing crowds of onlookers and sparking a wave of social‑media posts.

Nearby convenience stores reported that sales of shark‑shaped ice‑cream bars jumped almost 30% after the shark’s appearance, showing how curiosity turned into profit.

Busan Mayor Chun Jae‑soo publicly thanked the shark for the free publicity and, after a vote, elected Bukhangi an honorary public‑relations ambassador with 91% of the vote.

The buzz also lifted the stock of The Pinkfong Company, the studio behind the viral “Baby Shark” song; its shares briefly rose more than 7%.

Authorities said they will make another attempt to guide the shark out to open sea later this week, while the city continues to enjoy the unexpected media attention.