Everland pandas featured in Time's Top 100 Photos of 2023

Mother panda Ai Bao gives birth to twin pandas Rui Bao and Hui Bao at Everland theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on July 7. [EVERLAND]

Everland’s most popular panda family’s picture was selected as the only Korean photo in Time Magazine's Top 100 Photos of 2023, the theme park said Thursday.

Time Magazine, an American weekly publication, selects and publishes 100 photographs at the end of every year that have profoundly moved people around the world.

The selected photo captured the moment right after the mother panda Ai Bao gave birth to twin babies Rui Bao and Hui Bao at the theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

“The picture appears to have conveyed a sense of the marvel of life, along with hope and inspiration, to people around the globe,” Everland said.

Rui Bao and Hui Bao are the first twin pandas ever born in Korea.

The twin pandas have shown remarkable growth since their birth on July 7. They've gained weight, jumping from 180 grams and 140 grams, respectively, at birth, to more than eight kilograms each, according to Everland.

The theme park is showcasing the panda family's daily lives on its social media channels.

A video of Fu Bao, another member of the panda family, has attracted nearly 15.8 million views on Everland's official YouTube channel, which has 1.2 million subscribers.

Everland’s Fu Bao pop-up store, which was open in The Hyundai Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul from Nov. 9 to 22, sold more than 110,000 merchandise items and surpassed 1 billion won ($770,000) in revenue during its 13-day run. Media reports estimated that around 20,000 people visited the store.

BY LEE CHAE-MIN [lee.chaemin1@joongang.co.kr]