On April 3, Fu Bao, a giant panda in South Korea, set off for China.
Yao Qilin, a reporter from the Seoul branch of Xinhua News Agency, came to the scene early in the morning, where she witnessed the reluctance of Fubao fans and comforted her fellow Korean journalists.
"Today, Fubao has a unique significance for China-South Korea relations. She contacted the editorial department of the WeChat public account of the China Journalists Association and sent a manuscript for the column "I am on the spot" to tell her what she saw and thought.
(a)
Giant panda Fu Bao was born on July 20, 2020 in Everland, South Korea. According to the agreement signed between China and South Korea on "Promoting Research Cooperation on Giant Panda Conservation", giant panda cubs born in South Korea should return to China before the age of four. In his farewell letter to "Fu Bao", his keeper Grandpa Song detailed the reason why "Fu Bao" had to return to China. "Giant pandas reach sexual maturity after the age of 4, and their encounter with the opposite sex in the spring is very short, so Fu Bao also has to return to China before the age of 4 to meet the opposite sex and live a happy 'bear life'. ”
On April 3, Fubao set off for China. At half past seven in the morning, Yonhap News Agency sent a quick message, and Fubao's influence in South Korea can be seen.
In order to record the whole process of Fubao's departure back to China, my colleagues and I set off from Seoul at 7 o'clock and drove for more than one hour to Everland in Yongin, the residence of giant pandas in South Korea. It was raining continuously, and we thought that there should not be many fans of Fubao. Unexpectedly, when we arrived at Everland at 8 o'clock, there was already a long queue of fans waiting for Fubao outside the door.
People bid farewell to giant panda Fu Bao in the rain at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on April 3. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
The sky is not beautiful, and when the farewell ceremony of Fubao is approaching, the rain is getting heavier and heavier. I chatted with a group of Korean photojournalists while waiting on the side of the road, and when I heard that I was a Xinhua reporter from China, the Korean reporters talked to me about their concerns about Fubao: "Fubao grew up in South Korea and can't understand Chinese, what should I do when I return to China?" "I heard that there are many giant pandas in China, will Fubao, who has been pampered as a lone seedling since childhood, return to the big family?" "I don't know if we can still see the news of Fubao after returning to China." ”
They went on to say that Fu Bao was born in South Korea, and Koreans have watched him grow up little by little, and everyone cares about him as if it were their own child. "Don't worry, Chinese netizens also like Fubao. Colleagues from the Sichuan branch of the Xinhua News Agency will welcome Fu Bao back to China at the airport this evening. "When I was relieved for the Korean journalists, I put up an advertisement for the National News Agency.
On April 3, Fubao breeders delivered a farewell speech at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
(b)
After a while, the vehicle loaded with Fu Bao slowly approached the crowd, and both sides of the road were crowded with Fu Bao fans. The vehicle stopped in front of the fountain in the rose garden, and the keepers of Fubao expressed their gratitude to the fans. Grandpa Jiang, the breeder, said goodbye and said: "From the moment of birth, Fubao has brought hope and happiness to many people. These words ignited the parting feelings at the scene, and fans called Fubao's nickname and cried. When the car slowly drove away from the crowd, many fans cried bitterly after the car. The hazy weather and the sadness of parting brought the sad atmosphere of the scene to its peak.
A woman cries goodbye to giant panda Fubao at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on April 3. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
At the farewell ceremony, the most common word in the banners and signboards hung was "thanks".
Fans at the scene told me that they were grateful for the touching brought by Fubao. My camera recorded many touching moments of fans' emotions towards Fubao, and some fans held up Chinese Fubao posters that read "Our forever baby panda Fubao, please take care of it in the future". There are also fans holding signs that say "Thank you Princess Fu" with tears in their eyes. I was touched by the sincere reluctance of the fans.
A woman braves the rain at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, to bid farewell to giant panda Fubao in the rain holding a placard. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
"I've never seen Koreans like this, right? Everland said that more than 6,000 fans came today. Koreans really love Fubao so much!" the Korean photojournalist next to him sighed while taking pictures. Indeed, when I was at the scene, I could feel the Korean people's love for Fubao.
(c)
As the first giant panda to be born in South Korea, many Koreans regard Fu Bao as their "own child". At that time, during the epidemic of the new crown epidemic, people were in a difficult time both physically and mentally. Many Koreans have been healed by watching Fu Bao's cute videos. Almost all of my Korean friends I meet, they mention Fu Bao. Friends said that when they were depressed, they watched Fubao's video, and they felt that their hearts were about to melt, and they were very grateful for Fubao's company. In order to thank Fu Bao for the happiness he has brought to the Korean people, Yongin City, South Korea, awarded Fu Bao the title of "Special Honorary Citizen".
Giant panda Fu Bao enjoys a meal at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on March 3. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
It is precisely in this way that Fu Bao has become a top star in South Korea. In December 2020, the video of Fu Bao, who was less than half a year old, hugging the keeper's lap reached 16 million views, and then the video of him holding his arm and looking at his mobile phone with the keeper also reached 24 million views. Everland's Fubao videos uploaded on social networks have accumulated 500 million views. From January 2021, when Fu Bao opened to the public, until March 3 this year, the number of visitors to Panda World was 5.5 million. In other words, 1 in 10 South Koreans has seen Fu Bao. Due to the popularity of Treasure Castle, Everland had to shorten the time to visit Panda World from the original unlimited to 5 minutes per person.
People watch giant panda Fu Bao at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on March 3. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Qilin
On April 3, Xinhua News Agency's news about Fubao's departure back to China also attracted much attention. Xinhua News Agency's "Newsletter丨"Goodbye Fubao, continue to be happy!" - South Korean people say goodbye to the giant pandas in South Korea" [Xinhua News Agency Express: Giant panda Fu Bao in South Korea left Everland in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, and set off for China] on the headline hot list and NetEase hot list. "Giant Panda Fu Bao in South Korea Leaves for China" and "Giant Panda Fu Bao in South Korea Will Return to China on the 3rd of this month" are on the Tencent Hot List and NetEase Hot List. After Fu Bao returned to Chengdu, South Korean mainstream media such as Yonhap News Agency, Chosun Ilbo, and Han Nation News continued to use Xinhua News Agency photos, videos and other manuscripts to track and report on Fu Bao's new life in China. Fu Bao's fans told me that they will always pay attention to the news after Fu Bao returns to China, and that he will definitely go to Sichuan, China to visit "Princess Fu" in the future.
Fu Bao, the adorable giant panda, has become a friendship messenger who warms the hearts of the people of China and South Korea. As a reporter of Xinhua News Agency based in South Korea, I will continue to dig out more heart-warming stories from China and South Korea in the news scene.
Source: Chinese Journalists Association
Process Editor: U022