On Apr. 5, Daejeon O-World, which had closed after the escape of the wolf "Neukgu" in April, reopened and is drawing crowds.
According to News1, about 200 visitors gathered near the ticket booth and entrance of Daejeon O-World on the morning of the day, lining up and waiting for their turn to enter even before opening.
Even after opening, a steady stream of residents continued to arrive, creating a queue around the O-World entrance.
On this first day of reopening, the place that drew by far the most attention from visitors was the wolf enclosure. Fourteen wolves, including Neukgu, are currently living together in the enclosure.
It was reported that it was not hard to find visitors at O-World who said they had come all the way to Daejeon from other regions to see Neukgu.
Among visitors, some were seen trying to pick out Neukgu within the pack because O-World did not provide a separate marker to identify the wolf.
Access to the central viewing path of the wolf safari inside O-World is currently restricted. O-World plans to open it after completing checks on the condition and safety of the wolves, including Neukgu. Once the central path opens, visitors will be able to see Neukgu up close.
According to O-World, Neukgu was reintegrated with the pack after capture and is now living stably with the other wolves.
Visitor interest also extended to the newly reinforced enclosure facilities. To prevent a recurrence, O-World installed concrete structures beneath the ground to keep the wolves from digging their way out. The outer perimeter of the enclosure has also been fitted with a double safety fence.
An O-World official said, "It felt eerily quiet without visitors for a while, so we're glad to see the place buzzing again," adding, "More people came than expected, which lifted the reopening mood even more."
Meanwhile, Neukgu drew major attention after escaping the O-World enclosure on Apr. 8, as a capture operation involving drones and thermal imaging equipment got underway. Neukgu was captured after being hit with a tranquilizer dart early on the morning of Apr. 17 near the Daejeon Anyoung IC.