Busan's celebrity shark, Bukang-i, can now be found in a new place — as a KakaoTalk emoticon.
The city of Busan said Saturday it will distribute a free set of 16 animated emoticons titled "Shapluncer Bukang-i Busan Watdei!" to the first 50,000 users who add its official KakaoTalk channel, starting at 2 p.m. Monday.
The emoticons, created by city civil servants, feature Bukang-i in a range of animated expressions and movements and can be used for 30 days from the date of download.
Free Bukang-i images are also available through the "Digital Goods" section of the Busan city website, where users can download them for use as smartphone wallpapers or stickers.
Bukang-i has since left the artificial waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park but is still believed to be lingering near Busan Port.
On Saturday, the National Institute of Fisheries Science confirmed the shark was swimming in good health near the international passenger terminal at Busan Port, about 2 kilometers from where it was last spotted.
The institute said Bukang-i appears to be expanding its range and adapting to a new environment, with no signs of health problems.
Since it was first discovered in the artificial waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park on Sept. 18, Bukang-i has drawn more than 1.6 million visitors over the course of more than a month.
sun@heraldcorp.com
