Cobra Kai Season 6’s New Casting Sets Up A Prequel Spinoff The First Karate Kid Teased

With Cobra Kai set to wrap up after season 6 concludes, the show has also opened up the possibility of a prequel spinoff now that Master Kim Sun-Yung is coming into the mix. Master Kim, who has only been mentioned in passing in the original The Karate Kid franchise and appeared briefly in flashbacks in Cobra Kai, has been cast in Cobra Kai season 6 with actor C.S. Lee. Canonically, Master Kim is assumed deceased, but given his influence on both John Kreese and Terry Silver, he’s expected to show up in additional flashbacks, which can further explain how Kreese and Silver became the monsters they are.

In an era full of reboots and continuations of popular franchises that are decades old, Cobra Kai has arguably done the best because it’s brought new material to the forefront while also keeping its roots intact. Because Cobra Kai has proven to be a quality follow-up to The Karate Kid, there’s no reason not to think the same could be done in a potential prequel. In light of this new casting news, Cobra Kai may have the framework for its first spinoff in place.

Master Kim’s Prequel Story Is A Great Candidate For A Cobra Kai Spinoff After Season 6

His backstory could delve into Cobra Kai’s formation, among other things.

Master Kim’s legacy extends all the way back to the first Karate Kid movie where a photo of the character (played by Jun Chong) was shown in Kreese’s Cobra Kai dojo. After being discussed by Kreese and Silver in the original trilogy, he was made a bigger part of their backstories. The fact that they were actually impressionable young men at first shows the kind of impact Master Kim had on them as they learned karate. Even before then, their former commander George Turner learned under Kim, which explained why he was ruthless while teaching Kreese about the meaning of “No Mercy” during the Vietnam War, which is what led to his death.

So, while Kreese and Silver have been Cobra Kai‘s main antagonists, Kim’s influence on them is intriguing enough that there could be a story there regarding how he got that way, what he learned, and what exactly he did to his followers to turn them into the hardened people that they were in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai. Better yet, there could also be a potential connection to Mr. Miyagi, whose teachings go against everything the Cobra Kai dojo teaches its students. Delving into fan favorite Mr. Miyagi’s backstory would serve as a very intriguing subplot. While Sun-Yung has been added to the Cobra Kai season 6 cast, a prequel could keep The Karate Kid story fresh post-Cobra Kai.

How Cobra Kai Season 6 Can Set Up The Master Kim Prequel Show

Cobra Kai season 5 introduced a major connection to Master Kim.

Cobra Kai already has an easy way to set up a story centered on Master Kim. His granddaughter, Kim Da-Eun, entered the picture in season 5 as the second-in-command to Terry Silver. While the latter was beaten, Kim is still around and could gain control of Cobra Kai. Since her primary goal is to restore the reputation of her family and spread his teachings, it’s only natural for Master Kim to cast a long shadow on Cobra Kai season 6. This would in turn create more questions about him and add interest in his story, especially if the series elects to create a secret Mr. Miyagi connection somehow.