A two-year-old wolf that escaped from a South Korean zoo has become an unlikely commercial sensation after his nine-day missing act prompted a rush of merchandise and even a cryptocurrency minted in his name.

Neukgu escaped from the safari enclosure at O-World in Daejeon city on 8 April after digging under a fence, and was captured on 17 April near a highway interchange. His escape triggered a multi-agency search involving roughly 300 personnel and drones and led to the closure of a nearby elementary school.

Within days of his return, a bakery in Daejeon named Harehare began selling a chocolate-cream pastry stamped with the wolf’s face, branded “Neukgu bread”. According to The Korea Herald, the bakery produced 50 loaves per day, and all 50 prepared for Sunday were sold within seconds.

The buns were introduced at 2,500 won (about £1.26), with the price rising by 300 won (£0.15) the following day, as demand surged following repeated sell-outs.

According to the Asia Business Daily, the Daejeon Tourism Organisation has also received suggestions from the public to develop a range of Neukgu-themed items, including a character mascot, paw-shaped bread, a children’s book titled “Neukgu’s Adventure” and a limited-edition commemorative T-shirt marking the wolf’s return.

Neukgu’s popularity has extended beyond food, with South Korea’s LG Electronics joining in. A large digital billboard at the brand’s Daejeon store displayed public messages to the animal, changing “Come back, Neukgu” during the search to “Thank you for coming back, Neukgu” after the wolf was recaptured.

A cryptocurrency named after Neukgu also appeared online during the search, recording about $140,000 (£103,796) in trading within 24 hours, according to Reuters.

On social media, AI-generated memes and videos showed Neukgu appearing on the news and being “interviewed” by Yoo Jae Suk, a renowned television host who is often referred to as the “nation’s MC (master of ceremonies)”.

Choi Miyeon, a professor in the department of media content at the Paichai University, explained that Neukgu’s story had a narrative that “drew in the public’s emotions” and contributed to his popularity.

“Neukgu’s story played out in real time on social media like a drama, as people shared his location and updates, and it was consumed like a participatory form of content,” she told KBS.

His return has also coincided with an unexpected lift in the fortunes of the city’s sports teams, giving rise to what some have dubbed the “Neukgu effect”.

Daejeon’s two main teams recorded wins immediately after his return. The city’s professional football team, Daejeon Hana Citizen, ended a three-game losing streak, while its baseball team, Hanwha Eagles, clinched their first win in ten days.

Daejeon mayor Lee Jang Woo wrote on Threads: “Now that Neukgu is back, both the football and baseball teams have won.” He also shared a video of Neukgu after his return to the zoo, writing: “He is currently healthy, eating well, and recovering.”

The zoo has since been releasing details to keep Neukgu’s fans updated on his recovery. A video posted on O-World’s Instagram account, which showed him eating meat, racked up nearly 50,000 likes in under 24 hours. According to the post, Neukgu ate 1.16kg of a mixture of beef and ground chicken in one feeding, up from 650g on the day he returned.

Veterinary examinations found that the wolf had lost about 3 to 4kg during his time in the wild and had ingested a 2.6cm fishing hook, along with other debris, including a fish bone and leaves, according to Asia Business Daily. Zoo officials said the hook, which was embedded in the stomach, was removed via endoscopy and that it was presumed he had swallowed it while eating fish after his escape.

Under Neukgu’s videos on O-World’s social media, comments have ranged from concern to encouragement. “Look at how he’s bracing his hind legs and staying alert, it’s heartbreaking,” one comment read in Korean.

Another person wrote: “Neukgu, you’re now everyone’s wolf, our national wolf. You must stay healthy, no matter what.” Using a common Korean expression that roughly translates to “you can do it,” some wrote: “Neukgu, hwaiting.”

An official at O-World said the zoo would prioritise “a full overhaul of our safari management systems” before reopening.

Neukgu is currently being kept in isolation while staff have been monitoring him for potential infections or parasites. Officials said that while initial blood tests showed no abnormalities, he will require further observation before he can be reintroduced to other wolves.