"Crying While Sending Off, Laughing While Welcoming"... The Continent Buzzes Over Pubao's Return

Poster and Live Broadcast on the Way Home Create a 'Welcoming Atmosphere'

China is buzzing with a welcoming atmosphere as it prepares to receive Poobao, the giant panda who was widely loved as "Korea's first baby panda."

Welcome poster for Pubao installed in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. [Image source=Weibo capture]

On the 3rd, China's state-run CCTV conducted a live broadcast through its social media accounts. A CCTV reporter visited Everland, where the farewell event for Poobao was taking place, and covered visitors waiting for Poobao, showing great interest in the event. Despite the rainy weather, visitors wearing raincoats waited for Poobao, and the broadcast showed Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming attending the farewell event, as well as past footage of Poobao. As of 9:35 a.m. (10:35 a.m. Korean time), more than 5.5 million people were watching the live broadcast simultaneously.

In particular, a Korean student from Sichuan told CCTV, "In Sichuan, pandas are like friends we often see, so I am proud that Poobao has received so much love in Korea." The student added, "I have never been to the Wolong Xueshanping Base where Poobao is going, but I heard it snows in winter, which Poobao likes." Chinese netizens also expressed support, saying "Welcome back to China" and "We hope you will be happy in China." Some expressed concern, leaving comments like "Seeing Poobao leave the place where he was born makes me tear up" and "I wonder if Poobao can adapt to life without 'Panda Grandpa' (caretaker Kang Cheol-won)."

On the morning of the 3rd, citizens at Everland in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, are seeing off Puba, who is leaving for China, by watching a vibration-free special vehicle carrying him. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Chinese netizens also expressed gratitude for caretaker Kang Cheol-won’s decision to accompany Poobao back to China despite the loss of his mother on the 2nd. Everland had advised Kang to stay until the end of his mother’s funeral, but Kang reportedly decided to proceed with the planned accompaniment, saying, "My late mother would have wanted me to see Poobao off well." Netizens posted messages like "It’s so sad to say goodbye twice (to your mother and Poobao)" and "I’m very worried," expressing their condolences.

On the Chinese social media platform Weibo, keywords such as "Welcome Poobao home" and "Poobao homecoming live broadcast" ranked high among popular searches. Around Sichuan Province, where Poobao will arrive after leaving Everland, large screens welcoming Poobao have been installed in preparation for his arrival. Notably, a large shopping mall in Chongqing City, not far from the Wolong Zhonghua Giant Panda Reserve (臥龍中華大熊猫苑) Xueshanping Base (神樹坪基地) where Poobao will stay, has set up a giant screen to welcome Poobao and wish him happiness. One netizen also mentioned that a large advertisement welcoming Poobao would be displayed in Beijing.

Poobao was born on July 20, 2020, to Lubao and Aibao, pandas sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in March 2016 as a symbol of Korea-China friendship. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), pandas sent overseas by China must return before they turn four years old. Poobao is no exception. On this day at 10:40 a.m., Poobao departed Everland and was transported to Incheon International Airport by a special vibration-free vehicle used for semiconductor transport. Poobao then boarded a chartered flight to China and headed to the Wolong Xueshanping Base in Sichuan Province.