Bukangi the Busan canal shark draws crowds
A shark went astray and captured Korea's heart - will she finally make it back to sea?
Sunday, 25 October 2026
Photo by Jaeyeong Kim on Unsplash
Warm-up
- Have you ever seen a shark, on TV or in real life?
- What animals live near your city's rivers or beaches?
- What should people do when they see a wild animal?
Vocabulary
- canal
- A man-made waterway that connects places or helps ships move.
- rescue
- To save someone or something from danger.
- coastguard
- An official group that helps people and boats near the sea.
- crowd
- A large group of people in one place.
- mascot
- A person, animal, or image used to represent a team or city.
- livestream
- To show video live on the internet as it happens.
- petition
- A written request that many people sign to ask for action.
- injury
- Harm to a part of the body.
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishA large shark was spotted in a concrete canal in Busan, a busy port city in South Korea, in mid-September. Marine biologist Kim Hyun-woo and the coastguard tried to rescue the animal. They learned she was a female dusky shark, and people soon called her Bukangi.
News spread fast. The city sent alerts, a huge crowd gathered, and more than 1.6 million visitors came to see her. Officials even ran a livestream and used Bukangi as a mascot. A banner asked people to sign a petition about a new baseball stadium.
Several plans to guide Bukangi back to sea failed. An electrical device did not work, water jets could not move her, and even a net placed on 2 October did not stop her return. Experts worried about an injury on her snout and near an eye. The oceans ministry says warmer seas may bring more sharks close to shore. Officials say they will keep trying to help Bukangi swim out safely.
Comprehension
- Where was the shark found?
- What name did people give the shark?
- About how many visitors came to see her?
- Which methods failed to guide her out to sea?
- Why does the oceans ministry think sharks may come closer to shore?
Grammar focus
Will / won't
Use will/won't + base verb for future facts, predictions, or quick decisions. Will is positive; won't is negative. (Example 2 constructed.)
- Officials say they will keep trying to help Bukangi swim out safely.
- Fans won't stop talking about her.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with will or won't + the verb.
- Soon, many visitors (come) ___ to see Bukangi.
- After the rescue, people (not/forget) ___ Bukangi.
- Officials (not/stop) ___ until she swims out.
- If nets fail again, staff (try) ___ another plan.
- Later, the city (share) ___ updates online about her.
Discussion
- Why do you think so many people came to see Bukangi?
- Is it right to make a wild animal a city mascot? Why or why not?
- How should crowds behave near wild animals by the water?
- Will warmer seas change sea life near your country? How?
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