Story about Fubao to be screened in the fall this year

A giant panda, Fubao, who returned to China from South Korea in April, will make a screen debut.

Samsung C&T Corporation’s Resort unit, which operates an amusement park, Everland, announced on Friday that a movie titled “Goodbye, Grandpa,” which captures moments of Fubao and his caretakers, will premiere in fall this year. The movie takes the format of a documentary and an animation movie combined, featuring moments of Fubao from when his mom, Ai Bao, and his dad, Le Bao, came to Panda World of Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province in 2016 to when Fubao returned to China in April this year.

The movie beautifully captures the emotional journey of Fubao, from his joyous moments in Panda World to his adorable playtime with flowers and toys. It showcases a range of emotions, from the endearing ‘aegyo’ to moments of fuss, joy, and even anger. The film also features his caretaker Kang Cheol-won, fondly known as ‘Panda Grandpa,’ as he accompanies Fubao from Panda World to Wolong Zhonghua Panda Shenshuping, a panda conservation research center in Sichuan, China, and other caretakers who had to bid farewell to Fubao.

Everland is offering a unique opportunity for Fubao's fans to be part of his journey. Before the movie premiere, an end credits event will be held. The names of the first 3,000 people who participated in the crowdfunding will be featured in the end credits, and the proceeds will directly contribute to the production of the movie. This exciting event will run for about two weeks on Gmarket’s website, starting on Monday.


송진호 기자 jino@donga.com