Wearing hi-vis vests and carrying selfie sticks, a group of YouTubers known as jagyeongdan gathered nightly in Busan, South Korea, to protect a stranded shark named Bukang-i. The shark had been trapped in a canal for over a month, drawing more than 1.6 million visitors before being successfully guided out on Wednesday.
The Vigilante Group
Each night, these self-appointed guardians took turns patrolling the waterfront, ensuring that visitors did not disturb the shark. Most of them livestreamed their efforts, turning the shark into a national celebrity. They stayed vigilant through the night, calling out anyone who shone torches or lasers into the water, which could startle the animal.
““They bring fishing lamps, or the kind of lights people use at a campsite,” said Choi Won-jin, one of the shark’s protectors. “I would arrive as the lights went out along the canal and wait for the offenders Koreans online call ‘lantern villains.’”
The Shark's Journey
Bukang-i, a female dusky shark approximately 3 meters long, had been marooned in the canal since September 18. Named after Bukhang, the Korean name for the city’s North Port, she belongs to a species classified as endangered worldwide. The city reported that the park where she was trapped had previously attracted about 2,000 visitors on a busy Saturday, but her presence brought in a surge of interest.
Authorities had attempted to guide her back to sea twice but were unsuccessful. Until her departure, the shark remained a focal point for crowds during the day, while a handful of guardians kept watch at night, sharing snacks and grievances about the behavior of visitors.
