Reflecting on The Karate Kid franchise, two iconic songs instantly come to mind: “You’re the Best” by Joe Esposito and “Glory of Love” by Peter Cetera. Notably, the former, which is famously featured at the end of the original movie, made its debut on the Netflix series Cobra Kai only in its final episode, a deliberate creative choice made by the show’s creators. On the other hand, the latter, known as the love theme from The Karate Kid Part II, was hinted at but never actually used in the show. However, it has been revealed that the production team did film a scene incorporating the song, which ultimately did not make the final cut.

Jon Hurwitz, one of the creators of Cobra Kai, recently participated in a Q&A session on X, where he was asked about the absence of “Glory of Love” in the series, given its strong connection to Karate Kid. Hurwitz disclosed that a goodbye scene between Daniel and Kumiko in season three was filmed, featuring the pair slow dancing to “Glory of Love.” He described the scene as “really sweet” and one of his favorites that unfortunately did not make it into the final version.

To provide context, season three of Cobra Kai saw Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) return to Okinawa, Japan, the setting of The Karate Kid Part II, where he reconnects with Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), his love interest from the film, albeit in a largely platonic manner. Hurwitz further explained that the decision to omit the scene was due to its intimate nature, considering Daniel’s status as a happily married man. Additionally, the cost of using the song and the episode’s runtime were factors, as the scene felt like an unnecessary element that could introduce unintended complications to the storyline.

In essence, the inclusion of “Glory of Love” by Peter Cetera (also famously covered by New Found Glory) in Cobra Kai was considered but ultimately not feasible due to various circumstances. The show’s creators consistently aimed to incorporate meaningful callbacks, and the omission of this particular song was likely a deliberate choice to prioritize the narrative’s coherence and pacing. Instead, the series offered a compelling tribute to The Karate Kid Part II through the character of Chozen, played by Yuji Okumoto, across four seasons, which was commendable in its own right.

Cobra Kai is currently available to stream in its entirety on Netflix. For those who haven’t watched it, the experience is akin to the feeling evoked by this song:

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