"Monster" on the Han River..Expert "Two otters playing in the water."

By Aram, Park

Aug 09, 2025

'Monster' on the Han River..Expert 'Two otters playing in the water.'



'Monster' on the Han River..Expert 'Two otters playing in the water.'
Amid the recent ghost story that a 'monster' appeared on the Han River, the possibility that the identity may be an otter of a natural monument has been raised.

SBS 'Curious Story Y', which aired on the 8th, revealed the true nature of the ghost story 'Han River Monster'.

Mr. A, a veteran fisherman who has decades of fishing experience and has enjoyed the taste of his hands while traveling through the waterways across the country, said, `I saw it yesterday and the day before yesterday.' `I was sitting over there and came out of the grass. When they looked at me, they recalled the memory of that time.




When the production team asked "What was that?" Mr. A replied "Otter".

The existence that was misunderstood as 'monster' is likely to be an otter designated as a first-class endangered wild life and natural monument.

Can an otter, an endangered species, live in the Han River?




In fact, the number has been gradually increasing since 2017, when four otters that appear to be one family were first spotted on the Han River in 43 years. It is analyzed that the urban ecosystem is recovering and the otter is re-established on the Han River.

However, the image of the Han River monster in the video did not look like an otter.

Accordingly, an otter expert "The otter has a long tail. So it looks very long in the water. If you add the tail, it will be about 1m20cm."




The current that occurs when an otter swims can flow along its tail and appear longer than it actually is.

An otter expert also added that two otters appear to be playing with each other in the water, not one, for three or four hours between the water and land to manage their physical strength.

And on the last day of filming, a mysterious creature was captured on the crew's camera. It is very similar to the shape of a mysterious creature that has been searching for. The production team said "Was it an otter that witnessed this day. Or was it a mysterious creature?"

In response, the director of the Korea Urban Ecology Research Institute said "I think there are some things that are desirable. If the Han River has the ability to embrace various life forms, it's proof that we've tried so hard. If these various creatures can meet with citizens around the Han River, this is a wonder rather than fear and a great blessing given to us by the Han River, he said.



tokkig@sportschosun.com