By Karley Haggerty
TAMPA – As he ran onto the stage of the Sekai Taikai, Drew Raskin cheered for one of his greatest heroes. His hard work over the past five years lead up to that moment, but he was not acting. He was living his dream.
Raskin started his YouTube channel, “Cobra Kai Kid,” on July 30, 2019, when he was only 16 years old. He put on his Cobra Kai gi and headband, set up his camera and microphone, grabbed his bonsai tree and started recording. In his first few videos–posted completely unedited–Raskin spoke about one of his greatest passions. The show “Cobra Kai.”
“When I started [the channel], it was just for me to get out my thoughts about the show,” Raskin said.
The “Cobra Kai Kid” channel really started picking up after Raskin posted his own re-creation of the first episode of “Cobra Kai” in 2020, the video gaining 1.4 million views. For some fans like Michael Lawrence, who also runs his own “Cobra Kai” social media page, this re-creation was the first time he came across Raskin’s YouTube channel.
“He remade the entire episode, using himself and his family members to play the different characters on the show,” Lawrence said. “It was extremely creative, and not like anything that I had ever seen a fan be able to accomplish. It was particularly impressive, given how young he was at the time.”
Because of the fans’ reactions to Raskin’s re-creation, combined with the moving of the show itself from YouTube Red to Netflix, the “Cobra Kai Kid” channel started to grow. Over the years, Raskin had posted videos of trailer and episode breakdowns, interviews and meetings with the main cast and creators, reactions to the show, parodies, and so much more. His hard work had brought in a hefty 283,000 subscribers.
Then, in 2024, Raskin was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. While visiting family in a different state, Raskin said he received a message regarding an open casting call for the final season of “Cobra Kai” and signed up for it, despite feeling a little doubtful that he would make it. But that doubt disappeared when Raskin received an email the very next day. He got a spot in the show.
“Getting to be there was the coolest thing ever because not only was I on Cobra Kai, but if I could have chosen any part of Cobra Kai to be on, that would have been the part,” Raskin said. “At the Sekai Taikai, the world tournament. I [was] literally seeing Hawk and Johnny Lawrence in front of me. This [was] like a dream.”
Not only was Raskin beyond excited to be a part of the show, but fans of the “Cobra Kai Kid” YouTube channel were ecstatic to see Raskin on their screens during the final episode as he ran on stage in celebration. Kelechi Njoku, a loyal watcher of the Cobra Kai show and Raskin’s YouTube channel, specifically remembers her excitement.
“I was beyond excited when I saw Drew on screen,” Njoku said. “I literally yelled because it was such a surreal and inspiring moment. Seeing someone so passionate about the show actually become part of it was proof that dreams really do come true.”
Raskin’s work on YouTube, while challenging at times, lead to a moment where so many people found inspiration. Raskin recalled struggling with burnout at times during his YouTube journey, along with other battles outside of the channel. But even while he still strives for balance, he encourages others to do the same as they follow their dreams, while also adding a little “Cobra Kai” twist to it.
“If you’re a Cobra Kai fan, or a fan of anything, you could bring your own flare or spark to that universe by putting out content,” Raskin said. “Be creative. Be yourself. No Mercy.”