Yul Kwon
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Born: February 14, 1975
Hometown: San Mateo, California Occupation: Management Consultant Seasons: Cook Islands; Winners at War Placing: Winner (Cook Islands); Fourteenth (Winners at War) Tribes: Puka Puka; Aitutaki (v2); Aitutonga; Dakal; Sele (v2) Total Challenge Wins: 17
Days Lasted: 74 Votes Against: 8 Awards: Strategy With A Smile (Cook Islands); Best Strategic Move (Cook Islands); Bamboozled (Cook Islands); Super Hero (Cook Islands) |
Survivor: Cook Islands
Yul Kwon began the competition as part of the green Puka Puka (nicknamed "Puka") tribe, which was entirely comprised of Asian-Americans. When the tribes marooned off the Cook Islands, the four racially divided tribes scoured the ship for supplies. Frantic as everybody, Yul got distracted by all the commotion, causing the chicken he was holding to escape, only to end up in the hands from another contestant, Jonathan Penner.
Four to five days in, Kwon immediately began a friendly bond with tribemate Becky Lee, which would eventually blossom as a formidable alliance of two, while slightly became distant to another tribemate, Cao Boi Bui, whose "Asian jokes" silently aggravated the other tribe members, Jenny Guzon-Bae and Brad Virata. Any strategies within Puka Puka were put on hold, as the green tribe won two consecutive Reward/Immunity Challenges. On Day 5, Yul was sent to Exile Island, where he solved the clues to a broken compass, which was revealed as the Hidden Immunity Idol, giving him a high degree of power.
When the four tribes became two on Day 7, Yul, Becky, and Cao Boi were transferred to the new Aitutaki tribe, along with members from the other three original tribes. Yul bought time to expand his alliance, adding former Rarotonga members Jonathan Penner, who happened to be the only other person to be sent to Exile Island at the time, and Candice Woodcock. After losing the subsequent Immunity Challenge, an added twist that sent Candice to Exile Island ruined Yul's plans to take his new alliance in motion. To make up for Candice's absence, Yul improvised by convincing Cao Boi and Jessica Smith to eliminate Cecilia Mansilla. The new Aitutaki tribe later enjoyed a lengthy winning streak, winning four of the next five challenges.
After a double elimination twist that would forcibly send "Aitu" to Tribal Council, Yul was approached by Cao Boi, who presented a plan which he called "Plan Voodoo." The salon owner speculated two things: 1.) Jonathan had the Hidden Immunity Idol; and 2.) there is a budding "Whites' Alliance" once the Caucasian contestants are reunited at the merge. As a solution, Cao Boi proposed that the vote should end up a 3-3 tie between Candice and Jonathan to nullify any power obtained by playing the idol. While oblivious of the fact that Yul was the true owner of the idol, this, and his eccentric personality caused Cao Boi's "Plan Voodoo" to backfire, sending him home and keeping Yul's alliance intact. When Rarotonga finally broke Aitutaki's winning streak, Yul joined in sending Jessica home for being an alliance outsider.
On Day 20, the castaways were given the chance to mutiny. Candice and Jonathan took the opportunity, leaving only himself, Becky, Sundra Oakley, and Ozzy Lusrh, who was the next intended target. Despite the numbers disadvantage, the Aitu Four rallied together and won the remaining challenges and would punish Candice at every opportunity by sending her to Exile Island for her betrayal. The Aitu Four would enter the merge with five Raros and needing someone to flip, Yul turn towards Jonathan to flip back to Aitu. After showing him the Hidden Immunity Idol, Jonathan agreed and would like to vote off Nate Gonzalez instead, trusting him the least. Yul agreed and Jonathan flipped to the Aitu side, resulting in Nate being blindsided.
After the remaining Raros, including Jonathan, were voted out, Yul was in the final four, with his alliance. On Day 38, A Tree Mail stated to perform the Rites of Passage and proceed to the Final Immunity Challenge. Confused by this, Jeff revealed that this season will feature a Final Three for the first time at Final Tribal Council instead of the usual Final Two. Although unable to win immunity, his Immunity Idol kept him safe. He offered the idol to Becky, but she rejected it stating it is only fair to enter a tiebreaker between Becky and Sundra after all they've been through.
In the end, Yul was declared the Sole Survivor for his brilliant strategy and excellent social game over Ozzy's dominance in challenges in a 5-4-0 jury vote.
At the Live Reunion Show, Yul lost to Ozzy for most popular contestant of the season, with the latter winning a car.
Four to five days in, Kwon immediately began a friendly bond with tribemate Becky Lee, which would eventually blossom as a formidable alliance of two, while slightly became distant to another tribemate, Cao Boi Bui, whose "Asian jokes" silently aggravated the other tribe members, Jenny Guzon-Bae and Brad Virata. Any strategies within Puka Puka were put on hold, as the green tribe won two consecutive Reward/Immunity Challenges. On Day 5, Yul was sent to Exile Island, where he solved the clues to a broken compass, which was revealed as the Hidden Immunity Idol, giving him a high degree of power.
When the four tribes became two on Day 7, Yul, Becky, and Cao Boi were transferred to the new Aitutaki tribe, along with members from the other three original tribes. Yul bought time to expand his alliance, adding former Rarotonga members Jonathan Penner, who happened to be the only other person to be sent to Exile Island at the time, and Candice Woodcock. After losing the subsequent Immunity Challenge, an added twist that sent Candice to Exile Island ruined Yul's plans to take his new alliance in motion. To make up for Candice's absence, Yul improvised by convincing Cao Boi and Jessica Smith to eliminate Cecilia Mansilla. The new Aitutaki tribe later enjoyed a lengthy winning streak, winning four of the next five challenges.
After a double elimination twist that would forcibly send "Aitu" to Tribal Council, Yul was approached by Cao Boi, who presented a plan which he called "Plan Voodoo." The salon owner speculated two things: 1.) Jonathan had the Hidden Immunity Idol; and 2.) there is a budding "Whites' Alliance" once the Caucasian contestants are reunited at the merge. As a solution, Cao Boi proposed that the vote should end up a 3-3 tie between Candice and Jonathan to nullify any power obtained by playing the idol. While oblivious of the fact that Yul was the true owner of the idol, this, and his eccentric personality caused Cao Boi's "Plan Voodoo" to backfire, sending him home and keeping Yul's alliance intact. When Rarotonga finally broke Aitutaki's winning streak, Yul joined in sending Jessica home for being an alliance outsider.
On Day 20, the castaways were given the chance to mutiny. Candice and Jonathan took the opportunity, leaving only himself, Becky, Sundra Oakley, and Ozzy Lusrh, who was the next intended target. Despite the numbers disadvantage, the Aitu Four rallied together and won the remaining challenges and would punish Candice at every opportunity by sending her to Exile Island for her betrayal. The Aitu Four would enter the merge with five Raros and needing someone to flip, Yul turn towards Jonathan to flip back to Aitu. After showing him the Hidden Immunity Idol, Jonathan agreed and would like to vote off Nate Gonzalez instead, trusting him the least. Yul agreed and Jonathan flipped to the Aitu side, resulting in Nate being blindsided.
After the remaining Raros, including Jonathan, were voted out, Yul was in the final four, with his alliance. On Day 38, A Tree Mail stated to perform the Rites of Passage and proceed to the Final Immunity Challenge. Confused by this, Jeff revealed that this season will feature a Final Three for the first time at Final Tribal Council instead of the usual Final Two. Although unable to win immunity, his Immunity Idol kept him safe. He offered the idol to Becky, but she rejected it stating it is only fair to enter a tiebreaker between Becky and Sundra after all they've been through.
In the end, Yul was declared the Sole Survivor for his brilliant strategy and excellent social game over Ozzy's dominance in challenges in a 5-4-0 jury vote.
At the Live Reunion Show, Yul lost to Ozzy for most popular contestant of the season, with the latter winning a car.
Voting History
Episodes |
Yul Voted For |
Voted For Yul |
3 |
Cecilia Mansilla |
--- |
6 |
Cao Boi |
--- |
7 |
Jessica Smith |
--- |
10 |
Nate Gonzalez |
Adam Gentry, Candice Woodcock, Nate Gonzale, Parvati Shallow |
11 |
--- |
|
12 |
--- |
|
13 |
--- |
|
14 |
Adam Gentry |
Adam Gentry |
14 |
Sundra Oakley |
--- |
14 |
--- |
Survivor: Winners at War
Yul was originally on the Dakal Tribe, where he formed an alliance with Wendell Holland, Nick Wilson and Sophie Clarke, who were all one time players that had limited connections in the Survivor community. They were against the "Poker Alliance" of Amber Mariano, Tyson Apostol and Kim Spradlin-Wolfe, as well as Sandra Diaz-Twine, Tony Vlachos and Sarah Lacina. The Poker Alliance wanted to target one of the No Connections Alliance, but Sandra had a grudge against Boston Rob, Amber's husband, so she decided to join with the No Connections Alliance and they voted out Amber.
The next time they lost Immunity, Yul's alliance wanted to target Tyson, who they felt caused too much chaos around camp. However, Tyson was trying to get Sandra, Tyson and Sarah to join with him and Kim, saying that the No Connections Alliance would target all of the big threats, which means that Sandra and Tony would be the next out after Tyson. However, Sandra had a grudge against Tyson, so she went with No Connections Alliance again and voted out Tyson.
There was then a Tribal Switch that saw Yul, Wendell and Nick end up on Sele with Parvati Shallow and Michele Fitzgerald. After losing Immunity, Yul wanted to go after Parvati. The plan went through and Parvati was voted out, but Yul was concerned at what came out at Tribal Council, that Wendell was considering turning against them for Fire Tokens. Because of this, Yul, Nick and Michele planned to vote out Wendell. However, Nick and Michele got worried at how good Yul was at strategy and felt that he would be too much of a dictator and threat going forward, so they joined Wendell in voting Yul out, sending him to Edge of Extinction.
Yul was the last person at Edge of Extinction before the challenge to get back in the game, so he didn't have any Fire Tokens to purchase an advantage and in turn, he lost. At the final Edge of Extinction challenge, he purchased an advantage but still lost and was fully eliminated from the game as a member of the Jury.
The next time they lost Immunity, Yul's alliance wanted to target Tyson, who they felt caused too much chaos around camp. However, Tyson was trying to get Sandra, Tyson and Sarah to join with him and Kim, saying that the No Connections Alliance would target all of the big threats, which means that Sandra and Tony would be the next out after Tyson. However, Sandra had a grudge against Tyson, so she went with No Connections Alliance again and voted out Tyson.
There was then a Tribal Switch that saw Yul, Wendell and Nick end up on Sele with Parvati Shallow and Michele Fitzgerald. After losing Immunity, Yul wanted to go after Parvati. The plan went through and Parvati was voted out, but Yul was concerned at what came out at Tribal Council, that Wendell was considering turning against them for Fire Tokens. Because of this, Yul, Nick and Michele planned to vote out Wendell. However, Nick and Michele got worried at how good Yul was at strategy and felt that he would be too much of a dictator and threat going forward, so they joined Wendell in voting Yul out, sending him to Edge of Extinction.
Yul was the last person at Edge of Extinction before the challenge to get back in the game, so he didn't have any Fire Tokens to purchase an advantage and in turn, he lost. At the final Edge of Extinction challenge, he purchased an advantage but still lost and was fully eliminated from the game as a member of the Jury.
Voting History
Episode |
Yul Voted For |
Voted For Yul |
1 |
--- |
|
4 |
--- |
|
6 |
--- |
|
7 |
||
14 |
For Sole Survivor: Tony Vlachos |
--- |
Trivia
- Yul was the only person in Survivor: Cook Islands to be exiled and not be a member of the original Rarotonga tribe.
- He was also the only person to be exiled once as the others sent to Exile Island were exiled at least three times each.
- He was also the only person to be exiled once as the others sent to Exile Island were exiled at least three times each.
- Yul is the first castaway to find the Hidden Immunity Idol and win the game.
- Yul is the first and only Survivor contestant to reach Day 39 without ever being in danger of being voted out. Yul's original Tribe won the two Immunity Challenges it competed in, after which Yul found the Hidden Immunity Idol, which he held until Day 38. This feat is unlikely to be repeated due to the format change of the idol's usage the following season.
- Yul is the first contestant to secure a seat at the Final Tribal Council before Day 38 - because of the aforementioned circumstances, following Adam's elimination at Tribal Council on Day 37, Yul was guaranteed to be in the finals as long as he did not relinquish his Hidden Immunity Idol. He would be followed by Michele Fitzgerald.
- Yul is the first contestant to secure a seat at the Final Tribal Council before Day 38 - because of the aforementioned circumstances, following Adam's elimination at Tribal Council on Day 37, Yul was guaranteed to be in the finals as long as he did not relinquish his Hidden Immunity Idol. He would be followed by Michele Fitzgerald.
- Yul is the first Asian-American to reach the Final Tribal Council. He was immediately followed by Becky Lee, who won a Tiebreaker on Day 38.
- Yul was the first man to reach the Final Tribal Council without winning an individual Immunity Challenge, and subsequently the first man to win in such circumstances.
- Yul is the first Sole Survivor to have the same number of votes against as the amount of jury votes for.
- Yul is the first Sole Survivor to win against two finalists, as he was in the first Final Three in the show's history.
- Yul is the first Asian-American Sole Survivor. He was followed by Natalie Anderson.
- Yul was the only male from Dakal to not be not be on the merged tribe, as Tyson won his way back into the game.