Diksha Sundriyal
The second part of Netflix’s ‘Cobra Kai‘ Season 6 focuses on the tournament Sekai Taikai in Barcelona, which pits Miyagi-do and Cobra Kai against each other while also putting them in the ring with some of the best dojos around the world. While the rival dojos remain each other’s priority, they also have several other very well-trained fighters to worry against. If it had simply been about the tournament, both dojos would have stood a better chance. But the mutual hatred and animosity, on top of some very complicated connections, makes things even more twisted. However, there might be one connection that may ease the tension between the two dojos, and it has to do with Kim Da-Eun and Chozen Toguchi. SPOILERS AHEAD
Chozen and Kim Form an Unlikely Connection in Barcelona
Where there are enemies, there is the chance to go for the enemies-to-lovers trope, and ‘Cobra Kai’ dives into it with Chozen and Kim Da-Eun. The duo first met in Season 5 when Kim is flown into the US by Terry Silver, who is focused on not just completely reinventing Cobra Kai but also taking over the valley and then the world. While Terry Silver remains the focus on the people in Miyagi-do, Kim presents herself as quite a hurdle, keeping them away from the main target and making things difficult by creating a crop of well-trained karate champions.
When Terry Silver meets his end, Kim goes back home, but then John Kreese comes along, and she is right back in the mix. While Kreese has his own motives behind Cobra Kai’s win, Kim is more focused on winning the Sekai Taikai and has no interest in his animosity with Miyagi-do. While she supports some of his choices, like playing mind games with the enemy to weaken them on the mat, she also believes in practicing restraint, especially if it will interfere with her players’ performance. At the end of the day, she cares more about the dojo’s reputation than some petty rivalry, which is why she emerges as the voice of reason in Cobra Kai.
Meanwhile, Chozen is dealing with a broken heart. He had been in love with Kumiko his entire life, and when he eventually found the courage to tell her his feelings, he discovered that she’d already moved on with someone else. It is this broken heart that he takes to Barcelona, which causes some trouble for his friends, who find it a bit difficult to manage him initially. But then, Chozen realizes what he is putting at stake and decides to get back in shape. That night, he goes out to look for Miyagi-do’s fighters and make sure they stay out of trouble. At the same time, Kim is trying to do the same for her students. As their paths converge, the tension heightens between the duo and culminates in a fight, which ends with a kiss.
The next morning, Chozen and Kim are seen together, and it turns out they had quite a night. While they decide to keep it a secret from the others, they also acknowledge that being together felt nice. Later, however, Chozen refers to the previous night as a mistake, which may have been a bit out of context. Still, it hurts Kim a little, and it shows when she tells Tory to use her heartbreak as a source of her power and aggression on the mat. Despite this, things remain considerably amicable between the two. When Kim discovers that Miyagi-do has stolen Kreese’s knife and made it look like it was Terry Silver, she tells Chozen to put the knife back, and he does it. In the end, when a fight breaks out during the semi-finals, and everything goes out of control, Chozen shows up for Kim, and this time, it seems he is ready to move beyond the word mistake and acknowledge what is between them.
Chozen and Kim’s Romance Opens the Ground to Bury the Hatchet
The tragic ending of ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part II leaves the fate of the Sekai Taikai tournament and of the dojos involved uncertain. With a major player of Cobra Kai dojo dying, it makes sense that Kim would reconsider her priorities and make a move that is in favor of her students and their safety. At the same time, she is not entirely in control of the dojo as it is still her grandfather’s who wants nothing short of a win, which is why he let Kreese run things. While the death of a student might be an eye-opener for Kim, we can’t say the same about Kreese. This might be one of the things that might finally let Kim shake hands with Miyagi-do and find a way to end the rivalry once and for all, and her relationship with Chozen might help them do it.
Another thing that Chozen and Kim’s relationship can resolve is the enmity between their families. In Season 5, Chozen reveals that his uncle, Sato, didn’t like, if not hate, Kim Sun-Yung, Da-eun’s grandfather. While the reason behind this dislike, which might be mutual, is not revealed, one can assume that there is some story underneath. However, considering that there are only five more episodes left in ‘Cobra Kai,’ it is less likely that the problems between Sato and Kim Sun-Yung will receive much time and explanation. Sato’s dislike for Sun-Yung could simply be due to the latter’s reputation. Still, it leaves something to build a little tension in Chozen and Kim Da-eun’s relationship. And perhaps, then ending up together might eventually put that problem to rest as well.
