A new report reveals that an important character from The Karate Kid has been cast for season 6 of Cobra Kai, teasing an interesting new storyline.
Cobra Kai season 6 has cast a significant character from the original Karate Kid, according to a new report. First airing in 2018, the series serves as a continuation of the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) more than 30 years after the release of 1984’s The Karate Kid. After the release of season 5 last year, Cobra Kai is now gearing up for the release of season 6, which is confirmed to be the Netflix show’s last.
Now, as writing on Cobra Kai season 6 continues, Deadline reports that actor C.S. Lee (Dexter, Quantum Leap) has been cast in the role of Master Kim Sun-Yung, a character who previously appeared in flashbacks in The Karate Kid (played by Jun Chong) and earlier in the series (played by Don Lee). It’s unclear in what capacity Master Kim will appear in season 6 as the character is presumed dead.
How Master Kim Could Factor Into Cobra Kai Season 6
The Martial Arts Master Could Bring The Karate Kid Story Full Circle
While Master Kim has featured very sparingly in the franchise in the flesh, his teachings have played an important role in the overarching story. Master Kim is responsible for creating The Way of the Fist, a violent and more ruthless martial arts style adopted by characters like Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) and John Kreese (Martin Kove), key antagonists in the show.
Master Kim’s The Way of the First Approach flies in the face of Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi teachings in The Karate Kid, with Daniel’s former master stressing the need for balance, growth, and reflection over rushing to violence. Master Kim’s inclusion in Cobra Kai season 6 suggests that the upcoming batch of episodes may dig deeper into the philosophical roots of many conflicts in the show, potentially including deeper explorations of antagonistic characters like Terry and John.
The inclusion of Lee as Master Kim as part of the Cobra Kai cast also suggests a “full circle” approach with the show’s final episodes. The series has always excelled at honoring elements of the original Karate Kid movie, and including a sparingly-featured but thematically crucial figure could help the series finale feel not just like the ending of the show, but like the closing chapter in a much larger saga that began almost 40 years ago.
