The Karate Kid opens June 11, featuring an American boy who travels to China because of his mother’s new job. Although not a remake of the original, it does borrow elements from its predecessor in addition to the title. Despite the film’s name, the main character, Dre, ends up learning Wushu and not Karate. The confusion is explained in film’s plot when a group of bullies nickname Dre “The Karate Kid” as a joke due to his limited knowledge of martial arts. Karate and Kung Fu might seem like the same thing to some people, but then some people also think Japanese is the same thing as Chinese. In Asia, the film is actually being released as Kung Fu Kid, possibly since the film’s title can be misleading to those who know the difference.
Does it really matter?
The differences between Karate and Kung Fu have been discussed by many people in many ways for many years. And does it matter what they are called? It’s all relative, of course. It matters as much as any name matters. Martial arts styles may share similarities, but they also have rich histories rooted in different cultures, their own philosophies, language, methodologies and yes, names. There are volumes of literature that discuss these details in depth, so I’m just focusing on their names. What do “Karate” and “Kung Fu” mean, and where did their names come from?
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