Do you know about “Fubao Syndrome?” Pubao syndrome is a word that arose when the giant panda Fubao became known and very popular through broadcasting. Fubao first became known to viewers through SBS’s TV Animal Farm. After the broadcast, it became known to more people on the official YouTube channel of TV Animal Farm x Animal Watch under the title “The first day I met the outside world after the Birth of baby panda Fubao,” and the video currently has more than three million views. In addition, most of the videos related to Fubao have high views. Why is Fubao video so popular? The Dongguk Post finds out why Koreans are so enthusiastic about Fubao.
Fubao is a giant panda born of natural breeding in Korea, and is the world’s fastest panda to open its eyes. Since pandas’ fertility period is only one to three days a year, the fact that she was born as the first natural breeding in Korea is also the reason why many people are surprised and interested. She was born in 15 days and worried about Kang Chul-won and other zookeepers, but now she has grown up very healthy and is nicknamed “ttunppangi.”
On SBS’s TV show “Animal Farm,” Fubao showed a special relationship with zookeeper Kang Chul-won. The sense of solidarity between her and the zookeeper impressed people greatly. In addition, factors such as the cute appearance of Fubao and the rareness of pandas designated as endangered species are the reasons why people have become enthusiastic about Fubao.
But Fubao must return to China before July next year. This is due to China’s panda diplomacy clause that requires baby pandas to be sent back to China before they turn four years old. The Dongguk Post finds out how China manages endangered pandas. China is the only country that owns a panda, and because it is not possible to sell or transfer its animals to another country, China has diplomatic relations with other countries to lend pandas for a while. Since then, when the baby panda is born, it has been brought back to China, For the breeding of endangered pandas. This is a way for China to breed and maintain its population, an endangered species. The Dongguk Post hopes that Fubao has happy memories in Korea, and stays happy even when she goes to China.