Fu Bao, a giant panda, and Everland resort’s zookeeper Kang Cheol-won are seen in the upcoming documentary “Hello, Grandpa,” which will hit theaters on Sept. 4. Courtesy of Acomz By Baek Byung-yeul The much-loved giant panda Fu Bao will be featured in an upcoming documentary film slated for September.
Titled "Hello, Grandpa," the film traces Fu Bao's journey from her birth at the Korean amusement park Everland to her return permanently to China earlier this year, focusing on her relationship with Kang Cheol-won, the zookeeper who raised her, production company Acomz said. In particular, the film chronicles the three months leading up to Fu Bao's separation from Kang, including the panda's daily routine. The film is a documentary mixed with animated scenes, which is a first in the Korean film scene, according to Acomz.
Born in July, 2020, Fu Bao is the first Korea-born panda. She was born to Ai Bao and Le Bao, who had been sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016 as a symbol of friendship between Korea and China. Fu Bao became a nationwide sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many Koreans visiting the amusement park and watching videos about the panda.
In accordance with an endangered species conservation agreement that stipulates that loaned pandas from China and their offspring should be returned to China before they reach the age of 4, Fu Bao left Korea in April and is now at the Wolong Shenshuping Base in China . An animated scene from the upcoming documentary “Hello, Grandpa” / Courtesy of Acomz The film's director, Shim Hyung-joon, said the movie depicts the bond between the panda and her caretakers well. "I think it's a heartwarming movie that a family can watch.
The interaction between the zookeepers and the panda and the planned separation, I think it's a very heartwarming story," Shim said. The director explained that the animated scenes were used to more naturally convey the stories between the panda and zookeepers. "I think the animated segments play a role in the fairytale story of Kang the zookeeper and Fu Bao," the director said.
"Hello, Grandpa" is scheduled to hit theaters on Sept. 4..
