Notice! Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, ahead!
Sensei Kim was consistently horrible in Cobra Kaibut season 6 found the best way to make her likable against all odds. The villain was first introduced in Season 5, so she hasn’t been around as long as other despicable characters like John Kreese or Terry Silver. Still, Kim Da-Eun’s brutal methods allowed her to develop a scathing reputation very quickly. She was callous and cruel and was willing to cause significant harm to her students if it meant turning them into winners. However, Cobra Kai Season 6 took a new approach to her character.
Redemption is the name of the game in Cobra Kai franchise since bad boy Johnny Lawrence is the central protagonist. One by one, the villains of Karate Kid the franchise was shown in a more sympathetic light in the spinoff series, with Chozen Toguchi and Mike Barnes added to the list of Daniel LaRusso’s unlikely allies. However, after the events of Cobra Kai Season 5, it seems unlikely that Sensei Kim would be among the villains who could earn redemption. Season 6 Part 1 Made Some Clumsy Attempts to Win Your Sympathybut it was in part 2 that Sensei Kim finally gained ground.
Chozen was the best possible character to make Sensei Kim likable
The union of Chozen and Sensei Kim was a big surprise
There wasn’t much to like about Sensei Kim before Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2, but everything changed when she developed a unique relationship with Chozen Toguchi. Chozen himself was a terrible villain back then The Karate Kid Part IIbut Since then, he has become one of the most lovable characters in the Cobra Kai series. Not only is he surprisingly hilarious, but Chozen is an absolute badass, as demonstrated by his big included gun fight with Terry Silver at the end of Cobra Kai. The audience is officially rooting for Chozen and his happiness, and that has now been transferred to Sensei Kim.
Chozen and Kim began the second part of Season 6 as enemies, but found common ground because of their shared desperation to keep their students out of trouble off the mat. While working together on their common goal, the pair engaged in some practical jokes and insults, even getting into a physical fight in a bar. However, this quickly developed into romantic tension. It was the perfect pairing choice in Cobra Kaiis part. Chozen and Kim are so perfectly matched that the latter character was immediately improvedand this was highly necessary after the events of Cobra Kai Season 6, part 1.
Sensei Kim’s redemption was felt in Cobra Kai season 6, part 1
Kim Da-Eun’s story took a twist
Despite being a definitely terrible person in Cobra Kai In Season 5, Sensei Kim obtained the beginning stages of redemption in the first few episodes of Season 6. She had once been a one-note character – totally evil, period. However, once Kreese reunited with Kim in Korea, Suddenly there were signs that she would be shown in a more sympathetic light. Kreese began to encourage his students as much as possible, and the camera continued to focus on Kim’s worried looks. What’s more, periodic flashbacks show Sensei Kim as a child – a telling sign that redemption is on the way.
The problem here is that Sensei Kim’s sudden concern for her students came out of nowhere. In Season 5, she was willing to pressure Terry Silver’s students into breaking her bones (i.e. Tory Nichols) without remorse. She taught them that strength and victory must be achieved at all costs, and if they were not willing to take abuse, Kim wanted nothing to do with them. There was no sufficient basis to justify a change of character in Cobra Kai 6th seasonpart 1, but part 2 did a much better job of making this change believable.
Cobra Kai season 6 part 2 did a much better job with Sensei Kim’s story
Sensei Kim is a much more dynamic character now
In Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2 Sensei Kim became increasingly frustrated with John Kreese thanks to his determination to cause drama off the mat. Kim wanted her students to be champions and recognized that the “off the mat nonsense“, as she said, only risked Cobra Kai losing their chance at the championship title. This motivation to end things made perfect sense for her character as it influenced her fundamental desire to win. This organically led to an unlikely friendship and romance with Chozen in Cobra Kai Season 6, part 2, opening the door to a more believable redemption.
Of course, anything can still happen Cobra Kaiseason 6, part 3, especially after the devastating loss of one of Sensei Kim’s students.
Cobra Kai effectively transformed Sensei Kim from a one-note villain into a surprisingly likable badass. Before Season 6 Part 2, Chozen was expected to reignite things with The Karate Kid Part IIis Kumiko, but Kim has suddenly become an attractive alternative. These two former villains would understand each other better, and that makes them an easy couple to love. Of course, anything can still happen Cobra Kaiseason 6, part 3, especially after the devastating loss of one of Sensei Kim’s students. Yet, This character is on a much better path leading to the end of the story.