"Spent 50,000 Won to See Whale Shark"... Chinese Aquarium Deceived 100,000 Visitors

Chinese Aquarium's Whale Shark Exhibit Sparks Buzz
In Reality, a Robot-Made 'Fake Shark'
"Cannot Be Traded as an Endangered Species... Created at Great Expense"

'Robot Whale Shark' exhibited at an aquarium in China. [Source=New York Post]

A Chinese aquarium has sparked controversy for deceiving tourists by exhibiting a 'robot shark.'

According to the New York Post on the 14th (local time), the 'Xiaomeixia Sea World Aquarium' in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, recently reopened after a long renovation. Covering 60,000㎡ (approximately 18,150 pyeong), it boasted the largest scale in China and attracted over 100,000 visitors within a week of reopening, gaining significant popularity.

In particular, a roughly 20-meter-long whale shark was exhibited alongside other marine creatures, drawing attention. The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, characterized by a body covered in white spots. However, the whale shark they displayed was a robot shark, with clearly visible body joints and unnatural movements. While it looked plausible from the outside, a closer look revealed its mechanical structure.

Visitors who purchased tickets for about 50,000 won to see the whale shark demanded refunds, calling it "nothing but a scam." One visitor posted on Chinese social media (SNS), "The whale shark exhibit was the most disappointing," adding, "I was full of anticipation at first, but what I saw upon arrival was a robot whale shark. It was not interesting at all." Another visitor expressed frustration, saying, "If I explain to my child that 'this whale shark is actually a robot,' the child would be puzzled."

In response, the aquarium's representative admitted, "It is indeed a robot," explaining, "This has significance in protecting the marine environment." He added, "Whale sharks are endangered species and currently banned from trade, so we had no choice but to exhibit a robot shark," further noting, "Instead, we invested millions of yuan (1 million yuan ? 190 million won) to create the robot whale shark for visitors." In fact, the whale shark is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Netizens who learned about the story reacted with comments such as, "It would be better to call it a robot museum rather than an aquarium," "No matter what, deceiving people is deceiving people," and "It would be better not to have it at all than to show a fake."