The series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, who reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively, from the 1984 film The Karate Kid. The series takes place between 2017 and 2019. The first and second seasons launched on YouTube Red/Premium in May 2018 and April 2019. Netflix acquired the series in June 2020 after YouTube decided to stop producing scripted original programming. Season 6 is divided into three parts, each consisting of five episodes.
Thirty-four years after being defeated by Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Kid (1984), Johnny Lawrence, now in his 50s, works as a part-time handyman and lives in an apartment in Reseda, Los Angeles. Daniel is now the owner of a highly successful car dealership chain, is married to co-owner Amanda, and has two children: Samantha and Anthony. Daniel reopens the Miyagi-Do dojo in response to Cobra Kai's success, sparking a massive rivalry between the two dojos.