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Rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of panda fans in South Korea as they gathered Wednesday to bid an emotional goodbye to Fu Bao, the nation’s “top celebrity” giant panda, before her journey to China.
Born in 2020 at Yongin’s Everland theme park, Fu Bao became a viral sensation as the first panda cub ever bred in the country. Her parents, Le Bao and Ai Bao, arrived in 2016 as part of a 15-year conservation partnership between China and South Korea.
Over 1,000 fans waited hours in the rain for a final glimpse of Fu Bao at a farewell event hosted by Everland’s sprawling Panda World. A custom-designed truck transported her to Incheon Airport, where she boarded a chartered flight to Sichuan’s Wolong region—the “hometown” of giant pandas.
“She’s been like family,” said one tearful fan, echoing sentiments across social media where #ThankYouFuBao trended. The panda will now settle at the Shenshuping Base, a conservation hub home to over 30 pandas, accompanied by her South Korean caretaker and a Chinese vet team.
Fu Bao’s move highlights China’s global panda diplomacy efforts, blending wildlife conservation with cultural bridges.
