Neukgu, a 2-year-old male wolf at O-World Zoo in Daejeon, cautiously eats ground beef and minced raw chicken in a video posted on Instagram, April 20. Captured from O-World's Instagram
Five days have passed since Neukgu, a 2-year-old male wolf that escaped from O-World theme park in Daejeon and evaded capture for nine days, was returned to the zoo. Yet public fascination with the runaway wolf has only intensified — so much so that some have begun calling for the attention to be toned down so the animal can rest.
In a “mukbang” (eating broadcast) clip posted on O-World's Instagram account, Neukgu emerges warily from his enclosure, scans his surroundings and slowly approaches a pile of ground beef and minced raw chicken. He is then seen taking small bites while continuing to glance around cautiously. O-World said the young wolf is still recovering and has begun eating more.
Fans and other netizens responded immediately with messages of support. By Wednesday afternoon, two days after it was posted, the footage had drawn 1.46 million views and 51,000 likes, along with 1,300 comments expressing hopes for Neukgu’s speedy recovery and excitement about seeing him again soon.
Another video of Neukgu feeding, uploaded on Tuesday, had also drawn over 390,000 views — an exceptional figure given that other posts on O-World’s Instagram account typically average around 10,000 views.
Neukgu, a 2-year-old male wolf at O-World Zoo in Daejeon, eats raw chicken in a clip posted on April 21. Captured from O-World's Instagram
At one point, O-World was prompted to issue an explanation after some viewers criticized the zoo, saying that throwing raw meat onto the ground was unsanitary and that it should have been served on a plate. Experts, however, said that because Neukgu is a wild wolf, using a separate feeding container would not be appropriate.
O-World also said the feeding was carried out strictly in accordance with animal welfare guidelines, adding that the area shown in the video was a special concrete floor that is thoroughly disinfected every day, pushing back against the hygiene controversy.
Meanwhile, others expressed concern that the intense attention could put stress on the wolf, with large crowds expected when Neukgu returns to the safari enclosure.
“Don’t turn Neukgu into a public spectacle,” one commenter wrote, while another criticized the zoo, saying it should be a place that offers real protection rather than merely putting animals on display.
Source: Korea Times News
