Koreans bid farewell to Fu Bao, symbol of friendship with China

By Kim Joo-heon Posted : April 3, 2024, 15:55 Updated : April 3, 2024, 17:40
YouTube celebrity panda Fu Bao leaves S. Korea on Wednesday. The text in the photo says, "Meeting you was a miracle. Thank you, Fu Bao." [Courtesy of Everland]

SEOUL, April 03 (AJU PRESS) - Despite rains on Wednesday, about 6,000 people gathered at South Korea's iconic theme park, Everland, to bid farewell to the celebrity Chinese panda, Fu Bao. Although she was cherished in South Korea, Fu Bao must return to China to find a male partner. The three-year-old panda was sent to South Korea by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016 as a gesture of friendship and has spent 1,354 days at Everland. Thanks to the popularity of videos showcasing her growth from infancy, Everland's official YouTube channel surpassed 1.3 million subscribers.

 
Fu Bao fans visited Everland to see the panda on her final journey before moving to the airport and returning to China. [YONHAP PHOTO]
 
Fu Bao's caretaker Kang Cheol-won (left) reads a thank-you letter to Fu Bao fans at Everalnd. A YouTube video showing the panda spending her time with Kang has garnered over 21 million views since it was uploaded in June 2021. [Joint Press Corps]
 
Visitors had been waiting in front of the main entrance since 4 a.m. [Photographed by Cui Jinning = choi5tsui@ajunews.com]
 
Fans gather near the vehicle carrying Fu Bao despite the rainy weather. She is set to take a plane at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday to leave for China's Sichuan Province. [Joint Press Corps]
 
Fans bidding an emotional farewell to Fu Bao. [Joint Press Corps]
Kim Joo-heon Reporter
Kim Joo-heon

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