A massive wave of emotion swept through South Korea Wednesday as Fu Bao, the first giant panda cub in captivity to be born in Korea, prepared to leave the country and go back to China. Although the rainy day made it difficult, thousands of fans rushed to the Everland theme park near Seoul to see their idol Fu Bao for the last time.
Fu Bao, whose name means ‘lucky treasure’, entered this world in 2020 to her parents Ai Bao and Le Bao, who came from China on a 15-year-long loan program. Panda as a symbol of goodwill is the country’s foreign policy; pandas born abroad are regarded as property of China.
The farewell ceremony was a love-bitter adventure. A specially made car turned into an emotional crowd who could not hold back tears, while other fans carried different signs and shouted messages of love. Park officials made a difficult decision that day to not allow any public visitation of Fu Bao right before departure due to their quarantine protocols.
A national treasure rises on its winged feet.
In a short period, Fu Bao was able to build a reputation as a national idol in South Korea. Her enthusiastic pranks and adorable appearance were the best and nothing was too dull for her. Her conduct was so fascinating that young people as well as senior citizens loved and enjoyed her presence. The photo of Fu Bao, together with a lot of other ones, soon became a hot topic of social media, and even a Fu Bao merchandise series was created.
Some people have reacted to Fu Bao’s departure thanks to the news in a negative way. Online petitions providing the government with the renewal of the loan negotiating piled up mass support. Nonetheless, the complicated nature of the deal was the main reason it did not readily lead to a solution.
A Bridge Between Nations.
In spite of the gloomy atmosphere, the Korean people brought with them pleasant memories of having this kind of experience of hosting Fu Bao. Aside from the happiness that she introduced to hundreds of millions of people, she also played a role in the diplomat which enabled the formation of the historical connection between South Korea and China. Thanks to the zoo staff of Everland, Fu Bao became their close comrade. They know each other well and, through this experience, Korea and China are cooperating at one point throughout the process.
There is no doubt that Fu Bao’s life story in South Korea will not only bring smiles to people’s faces but also go down in history for future generations. The presence of the male specimen in the zoo not only showed the progress of conservation efforts but also the realization of a commercial goal. Er with the South and the South’s conservation-minded population, South Korea is demonstrating its compassion for this endangered species.
Looking Ahead.
Hao Fon’s parting not only leaves a gap but also paves the way for coming collaborations. Giant pandas have started to be a cultural symbol of friendship between countries and Fu Bao’s positive experience could begin a long-standing tradition of future exchange programs involving only pandas, which would not only promote cultural understanding but also cooperation in science for the saving of the species.
