SPOILER ALERT: This story incorporates spoilers for Season 6, Part 1 of “Cobra Kai,” now streaming on Netflix.
While Kim Da-Eun — Alicia Hannah-Kim’s character in “Cobra Kai”— was certainly one of the foremost antagonists last season (and appeared to be done for good), you shouldn’t have counted her out. Kim is back, and teaming up with Kreese (Martin Kove) to take their latest generation of Cobra Kai fighters to the subsequent level within the worldwide karate championship, the Sekai Taikai.
The pairing are going up against all of Miyagi-Do, lead by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). “Cobra Kai” originated in 2018 as a scripted original on YouTube, and detailed the story of what happened many years after the 1984 “The Karate Kid” film. (To read an in-depth interview with “Cobra Kai” showrunners Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg — breaking down Part 1 of Season 6 — click here.)
Within the 40 years that the franchise has been around, Hannah-Kim is the primary ever female sensei within the “Karate Kid” universe, something that she says she’s “hyper aware of.” Her character was introduced within the fifth season of the series, wherein she was brought in by Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) to coach his cohort of Cobra Kai karate kids. She can be the granddaughter of Master Kim (C.S. Lee), a karate expert who trained Silver and Kreese, and essentially laid the muse for Cobra Kai’s vicious, win-at-all costs values.
Episode 5 of Season 6 saw Tory (Peyton List) — which is the finale of the primary batch of the series — leave Miyagi-Do after her mother died. Tory’s return to Cobra Kai to fight for Kim Da-Eun and Kreese within the Sekai Taikai in Barcelona was the episode’s gasp-inducing final moment.
In a recent interview with Variety, Hannah-Kim talked about Kreese and Kim’s “friendship,” not watching “The Karate Kid” until after filming the fifth season of “Cobra Kai” — and what’s next for her mentor-mentee relationship with Tory.
What was it like so that you can explore the evil, villainous persona your character has?
It’s truthfully very satisfying. If you happen to take into consideration all of the times in life that you simply’ve needed to hold back in your temper or be socially acceptable, I don’t think Kim Da-Eun has any of those safeguards in place. She’s very free to specific her rage or disappointment. Any emotion that involves the surface, I can see that she just lets it out, and that’s really satisfying to vicariously pass though.
Did you’ve any inspirations that helped you channel that evil inner rage Kim Da-Eun has?
All of us have a dark side. The continuing work is to process that in a healthy way, and be an appropriate member of society. But, it’s not difficult for me to access in any respect. I don’t know what that claims about me.
I like watching villains. I took a number of weird inspiration from Kylo Ren, Adam Driver. There’s this very Adam Driver quality of just letting go, and I find that basically exciting to look at.
Before joining the series, were you a fan of the “Karate Kid” universe?
I had actually not watched “The Karate Kid” as a toddler — it’s type of just missed my household. I in fact knew who Ralph was, and Billy and I knew that “Cobra Kai” was a very big show. But I wasn’t very aware of the universe, which I feel was good for me.
I showed up during COVID, it was the tail-end of the pandemic. I had been living in Canada for the higher a part of that 12 months. It very much felt like coming out of a cocoon, and I used to be very unaware, so I didn’t have a number of pressure. I took every experience because it got here and I didn’t have any premeditated anxiety or intimidation about joining this massive franchise universe with 40 years of history behind it. I met them very much as people, as themselves. It was a very pure introduction. Then, in fact, once I wrapped Season 5, I went home and binged every little thing, and had a belated starstruck response.
What has it been like carrying on that legacy alongside “Karate Kid” legends like Ralph Macchio, Billy Zabka and Martin Kove?
I’m hyper aware that I’m the primary female sensei; I’m the one woman of color amongst the senseis. In 40 years of “Karate Kid” lore, to take that place is exciting and unprecedented. I very much feel that energy after we’re all standing in a scene together — it’s a very welcomed change. It’s an awesome balance of feeling really honored, and just excited to infuse it with something different.
What does it mean to you to be the primary female sensei within the “Karate Kid” universe? Since there are such a lot of strong women featured on the show, how do you hope to advertise female representation inside the franchise?
I feel it was a improbable decision from the showrunners to introduce this character, since it’s twofold: It’s Korean representation, and feminine representation. I’m attending to represent those two things, and in addition just be a beacon for young Asian girls which can be watching the show that may see themselves in me. I do know the opposite female characters, definitely the scholars, after which also with Vanessa [Rubio] and Courtney [Henggeler], we now have a number of very strong female characters on the show. So I didn’t feel that I used to be bringing something that different in that sense, because we’re all strong on the show. However it’s very emotional to think that there are Korean or Asian girls on the market that can give you the chance to identify me on screen and feel seen.
What was it like working with Martin Kove, who plays Kreese?
I used to be looking forward to that, because obviously in Season 5 we alluded to the indisputable fact that Kim Da-Eun had come to America on Kreese’s behalf. And, in fact that went awry. So we finally get to explore what their relationship entails. They’ve this really pure mentor-mentee friendship. We get the insight into that relationship and history, that Kreese had really advocated and guarded her when she was a toddler along with her grandfather.
Marty is just type of the legend on set. His character in the unique “Karate Kid” was the source of many a nightmare for a lot of a “Karate Kid” fan. I got a number of texts from friends going, “Oh, my God, you’re working with Marty Kove! What’s he like?”
Marty may be very entertaining. Between takes, he likes to joke around. He has a number of resilience and fortitude. In those early scenes after we were in Korea, it was during a very cold snap in Atlanta. We had an arctic blast, and it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and we were shooting well into the night. It was about 12 hours in extremely cold temperatures, and Marty didn’t complain once. I used to be so impressed by that, because he was giving lots.
In Episode 3, Kreese overhauls your original teaching style at your dojo. How do you think that that can affect your students on the Sekai Taikai?
It’s type of that thing while you get along with a friend, and then you definately just keep type of one-upping one another. Obviously, they’re aligned with their goals. After which they type of — I don’t wish to say they create out the worst in one another — but they only keep taking it up a notch. Kreese is hell-bent on his goal to get to the Sekai Taikai with Cobra Kai, and that appears like an extended, ruminating ambition for him.
You’ll need to wait and see. It’s quite catastrophic.
We all know that Peyton List’s character Tory had gone to coach with Miyagi-Do after what happened last season, but now she’s back to Cobra Kai. What’s up next on your guys’s relationship, especially after your character pushed her so hard last season?
Having Tory come back to Cobra Kai feels tumultuous for the entire forged. All of the Miyagi-Do kids, and particularly for Kim Da-Eun, they’ve a really complicated relationship. It’s contentious, however it’s also almost a mentor-mentee relationship as well, because I feel that Kim Da-Eun sees all that potential and similarity. She sees herself in Tory, and knows exactly how you can harness those emotions to win and to mold her right into a type of mini version of her.
What can I say that’s not spoilery? We get to explore their relationship in latest ways this season, and that was really satisfying to me as an actor.
What was it like working with Peyton?
I like Peyton. She’s so impressive. I do know she’s been on this business an extended time; she’s been working since she was a toddler. The thing that struck me after I met her was how easygoing she was, but in addition how incredibly skilled and precise she is. That basically speaks to her experience within the industry. She’s just such a formidable actor, and a deep and real person.
Because we’re on this very contentious relationship, between takes, we’re attempting to make it as light as possible. I remember many a time of singing Taylor Swift songs in between takes with Peyton.
Wait, I like that. What songs would you guys sing?
“22,” after which we’d like do the floss. Because if we’re yelling, I’m yelling at her a lot, and she or he’s type of gazing me with these big, beautiful eyes. Then they yell cut, and we’re each Swifties, in order that’s where we’re connecting, and getting the levity in between takes.
What’s it like filming a few of those intense karate scenes?
That’s essentially the most fun. That’s the largest joy about being in “Cobra Kai” — while you’re halfway through a fight scene, and also you’re spinning and just completely within the moment. Especially for those who and your scene partner nail it in a single take, that’s exciting. That’s really my favorite part, truly.
What can viewers expect on your character inside the subsequent two parts of the season?
Kim Da-Eun goes through life-changing moments in all three parts of the series. Part 1 may be very much a setup for what’s to return. Stay tuned for Part 2: It’s gonna be insane and funny and unexpected. And shocking!
This interview has been edited and condensed.
