Where Is Netflix's Cobra Kai Actually Filmed?
Just a few years ago, even diehard fans of the 1984 coming-of-age sports classic "The Karate Kid" would've told you the franchise was hardly in need of a revival. That's largely because the last two films in the saga (1989's "The Karate Kid Part 3," and 1994's "The Next Karate Kid") weren't exactly hits with either critics or fans (per Rotten Tomatoes).
"The Karate Kid" series got the revival treatment anyway in 2018 via "Cobra Kai," a YouTube Red original series that fronted O.G. franchise stars William Zabka and Ralph Macchio. And to the shock of one and all, the new series — focused largely on Zabka's "The Karate Kid" villain Johnny Lawrence — promptly became a buzzworthy hit with fans from every generation (via Rotten Tomatoes). Soon enough, "Cobra Kai" was scooped up by Netflix, and according to Variety has since become one of the streamer's biggest hits to date.
If you've seen either "The Karate Kid" movies, or a single episode of "Cobra Kai," you know Johnny and Daniel call Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley region home. While much of the action in "Cobra Kai" unfolds in and around the Valley, it seems not all of the action in the series is filmed there. Here's where Netflix's "Cobra Kai" is actually shot.
Cobra Kai is apparently a bi-coastal production
According to Atlas of Wonders, "Cobra Kai" is very much a bi-coastal production, with shooting unfolding almost entirely in either the greater Los Angeles area, or at various locations in Atlanta, Georgia. As for "Cobra Kai" shooting in Southern California, well, that's hardly a surprise as there are some spots in the L.A. area and the San Fernando Valley that you just cannot fake elsewhere in the country. Per Atlas of Wonders, among them are the famed Mulholland Scenic Overlook, Johnny's low-income apartment building in Reseda, the famed Malibu waterfront, and pretty much any palm tree-lined street you might see in the series.
It's probably even less surprising "Cobra Kai" has shot the bulk of its episodes in Atlanta. Georgia has, after all, become a legit hot bed for Hollywood action of late thanks to film and television incentive programs friendly enough to entice even the likes of Marvel Studios to bring productions there (per Variety). And Atlas of Wonders claims "Cobra Kai" has utilized both Atlanta's abundant studio space, and several practical locations to bring their story to life, with local structures standing in for everything from Daniel's posh Encino mansion, to the Encino Oaks Country Club, and even the West Valley High School.
As for the Season 3 arc that found Daniel returning to Okinawa, unlike "The Karate Kid II" (which shot in Hawaii), the "Cobra Kai" production actually went to the Japanese island to shoot. And yes, those scenes are as beautiful to look at as they are emotionally resonant.