This blog post explores how Po grew and gained confidence in the movie ‘Kung Fu Panda’, examining the crucial role of belief in that process.
In the beginning, when the world was created, everything was shrouded in chaos and darkness. As time passed, light and darkness, sky and earth separated, and above them, the seas and land emerged. Just as the world gradually took shape, our lives too slowly form their contours. The process of piecing together the fragments of life given to us is sometimes chaotic, sometimes serene.
Every human being sets out at least once to find their own path. Like exploring a pathless forest, we must find our way through the countless choices laid before us. In this journey, we experience numerous attempts and failures. Yet these failures do not merely signify wrong turns; they offer opportunities to make better choices. Our lives resemble a film, sometimes dramatic, sometimes comical. And as the protagonists of this film, we each write our own story.
Listening to the stories of successful people, we find they all consistently challenged themselves without fearing failure. Failure is a stepping stone to success, and through it, we can grow even more. Crucial in this process is believing in oneself. Believing in one’s abilities and believing in the path one chooses to take. This leads directly to confidence, and confidence enriches our lives.
How many people can honestly answer “yes” when asked if they live their lives with confidence? During middle and high school, worries about entrance exams plague us; in college, concerns about finding a job take over; and after getting a job, worries about marriage and retirement follow one after another. Many people, weighed down by these anxieties, lose their confidence, give up on challenges, and become too busy just drifting along.
Po, the protagonist of ‘Kung Fu Panda,’ was initially much like us, lacking confidence. Po loved kung fu but couldn’t bring himself to pursue it. Unable to defy his father’s wishes, he lived selling noodles alongside him. Then one day, while watching the tournament to select the Dragon Warrior, he was unexpectedly chosen by Grandmaster Oogway to be the Dragon Warrior. Lacking confidence and facing disbelief from those around him, Po tried to run away. But thanks to the faith placed in him by Grandmaster Oogway and Master Shifu, he trained and grew. With Master Shifu and his father’s help, he grew both externally and internally, becoming a true Dragon Warrior.
I first saw ‘Kung Fu Panda’ as a freshman in college. Having just become a university student, I developed a hobby of watching movies in my free time and tended to prefer films with happy endings, so I watched it after a friend recommended it. Po, with his chubby body and protruding belly, yet growing with pure passion and confidence in kung fu, was a truly charming character. After watching the movie, I felt satisfied with the happy ending and proud of Po’s growth. I was inspired, thinking, “Maybe I can do something too,” and felt happy for a while.
Recently, after watching ‘Kung Fu Panda’ for the second time, I found myself reflecting on two scenes that stand out most vividly. First, I’d like to introduce the first scene.
Master Shifu tests whether Po is worthy to become a Dragon Warrior, only to be deeply disappointed by his abysmal kung fu skills. When he tells the Grand Master, Oogway, that Po is hopeless, Oogway tells Master Shifu: “He just needs someone to believe in him. Promise me. Promise me you’ll believe in him.” Deciding to follow Oogway’s words, Master Shifu begins to see Po with faith. He finds potential in Po, who displays superhuman strength whenever food is involved.
The driving force that got the unconfident Po, who had only wanted to run away, to start training was the belief of Oogway and Master Shifu. Po, who had only been a fan of kung fu, suddenly had to accept the heavy responsibility of being the Dragon Warrior, so he didn’t believe in himself. Naturally, his fellow Kung Fu Panda members and the citizens didn’t believe he could become the Dragon Warrior and protect the city either. However, when Oogway believed in him, Po stopped trying to run away and committed to practice. When Master Shifu believed in him, recognized his talent, and began rigorous training, Po didn’t give up and grew rapidly. It was clear that the belief of his masters was the major force that enabled Po to become the Dragon Warrior.
Just as Master Shifu’s unconditional belief in Po fueled his growth, I too found strength through the faith of those around me. Lately, after deciding on a job after graduation, one of my most frequent thoughts is whether I can truly thrive in the working world. My personality tends to stress over change, and facing life’s biggest shift yet has brought constant worry, even leading to insomnia. I felt a deep respect for my parents, wondering how they managed to overcome all the hardships and live well until now. But I couldn’t help but think, ‘Could I overcome it? Could I endure it?’ So, I recently confided in my parents and close friends, telling them how these thoughts were keeping me awake and causing me great distress. Each time, the words I heard were, ‘You’ve done well up until now. You can do it.“ It was a predictable comfort, but for someone like me who couldn’t trust myself, hearing that I could do it simply ”because it’s you” – without needing a reason – gave me immense warmth. My anxiety didn’t completely vanish, but thanks to my parents’ and friends’ comfort, I could feel the expectations buried under the anxiety and the confidence trapped within the worry once more.
Next, I’d like to share the second scene that stuck with me. Having grown through kung fu training, Po finally obtains the Dragon Scroll to become the Dragon Warrior and defeat Tai Lung. Excited by the prospect of becoming the Dragon Warrior, Po opens the scroll only to be disappointed by its blank pages. Fleeing, Po encounters his father, who runs a noodle shop. His father tells him, “There’s no secret noodle recipe. To make it special, you just have to believe it’s special.” Realizing something, Po reopens the Dragon Scroll, sees his own reflection, and returns to defeat Tai Lung.
What Po realized was probably that the path to becoming a Dragon Warrior isn’t about some special secret formula, but about having the confidence to believe he is special and can do it. When Tai Lung, who came to steal the Dragon Scroll, saw it was blank and looked at Po in shock, Po declared, “There is no secret ingredient. It’s you.” He also taught Tai Lung the importance of believing in his own uniqueness, but Tai Lung failed to grasp it and ultimately lost to Po.
What exactly does it mean to think of oneself as special? Here, thinking of oneself as special isn’t about being superior to others by some standard, but about having the confidence that comes from believing in oneself. As mentioned earlier, modern people live burdened by worry upon worry. The root of this worry is anxiety about the future and a lack of confidence in navigating impending dangers. However, the special person this film speaks of is someone who overcomes anxiety and worry with confidence and continues to grow.
I wondered if I had ever truly considered myself special. Growing up as an only child, showered with my parents’ love throughout my childhood, I genuinely believed I was very special. My parents praised me for doing well in everything and always encouraged me, saying I would become a great person, so I truly believed it. But after high school, when I became a university student, I couldn’t feel that way anymore. I constantly compared myself to others and measured myself against standards set by others. What I gained from comparison was the short-lived arrogance of a frog in a well, and the inferiority complex that followed when I realized that truth. I began to wonder if the child who thought she was special wasn’t actually more special than the adult I am now, who carries both arrogance and inferiority.
‘Kung Fu Panda’ presents two kinds of belief. Belief in others, and belief in oneself. As I mentioned earlier, until now, I had almost no belief in myself and seemed to have lived relying on the beliefs of others. But after watching ‘Kung Fu Panda’ and reflecting deeply, I felt a desire to try believing in myself. Remembering those moments when I was special because I believed I was special, I should believe in myself and live in a special way.
