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Kellee Kim is a contestant from Survivor: Island of the Idols.

Kellee displayed strong strategic and social acumen, finding herself in the majority of both the original Vokai and post-switch Lairo tribes, as well as earning a Hidden Immunity Idol on the Island of the Idols. After using her idol to orchestrate a plan to save Dean Kowalski just before the merge, Kellee was able to find two more idols. However, she was blindsided at the first post-merge Tribal Council with both idols still in her possession after her former allies targeted her for her strategic prowess.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

Age: 29
Hometown: Costa Mesa, California
Current residence: Philadelphia
Occupation: MBA Student
Hobbies: Settlers of Catan (Cities and Knight), skiing, and soccer.
Pet peeves: People who wake me up while I'm sleeping or try to talk to me while I am falling asleep.
Three words to describe you: Fun, energetic, and driven.
What accomplishment are you most proud of? Getting onto the Harvard Varsity Soccer team! It was a very long passion and journey and it was a huge accomplishment to be able to play in college.
Who or what is your inspiration in life? My sister!
What's one thing we wouldn't know from seeing a photo of you? I hate mayo; if I had to eat a tub to get to the Final 3, I'm not sure I could do it. And I don't like whipped cream, vanilla frosting, or sour cream.
Which Survivor contestant are you most like? Kelley Wentworth. She's athletic and gets along with people. And we almost have the same name.
Why do you think you'll "survive" Survivor? My pain tolerance is high, and I love to make difficult things fun. With a pinch of luck and a good "meat shield," I'll win.[2]

Survivor[]

Kellee was a part of the majority alliance on Vokai; however, things were not easy, particularly due to Dan Spilo not respecting her personal boundaries. It did not take long for the alliance to splinter either, as the trio of Jack Nichting, Jamal Shipman, and Molly Byman appeared to be threatening. Kellee was the first member of Vokai to be sent to Island of the Idols, where she earned a Hidden Immunity Idol (which she hid in her hair, all while feigning not receiving anything) good for her next three Tribal Council visits. With an idol in her possession as well as advice from Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine, Kellee navigated a difficult decision and contributed to Molly's blindside. When Noura Salman was sent to Island of the Idols, Kellee was worried that her lie about the island would be blown up. Fortunately for Kellee, that was not the case as Noura got tangled in her own lie.

Kellee went into the switched Lairo tribe with a 5-3 majority, also forming a friendship with Dean Kowalski through their mutual friend. This friendship prompted Kellee to keep him safe as much as possible, contributing to Tom Laidlaw's vote out at the first Tribal Council post swap. However, she could not quite easily spare Dean a further vote as her alliance preferred to keep Karishma Patel, who had been ostracized by her original tribemates. Since her idol was set to expire this Tribal Council, Kellee decided to make a big move by giving Dean the idol to play on himself and for him and Noura to vote out a threat. The plan worked, keeping Kellee's ally Dean in the game at the expense of Jack. The fallout of Tribal Council put Kellee in hot water as Noura immediately revealed Kellee's involvement in the move, which caused Janet Carbin and Jamal to distrust her. The following day, the entire tribe looked for the rehidden idol, which Kellee was able to find.

After the merge, Kellee thought original Vokai, with their 7-6 numbers advantage, would want to target an original Lairo like Missy Byrd, so Dan became the decoy vote. Things got tricky when Dan continued to bother Kellee and Missy told her that Dan's behavior persisted through the swap. Kellee's frustration reached a breaking point, to the point where a producer reassured her that she could receive help. Still believing Kellee wanted Missy gone, Lauren Beck went to Missy to warn her about this plan, and the two rallied their respective allies against Kellee. The target officially switched to Dan from Kellee's perspective when Janet took action after learning about Dan's persistence. Kellee managed to find another idol shortly before Tribal Council, but believing she had the numbers to eliminate Dan, she did not play either of them. The plan failed, and in an 8-5 vote, Kellee became the second member of the jury, as well as the second player in Survivor history to exit the game with two Hidden Immunity Idols.

At the Final Tribal Council, Kellee supported Tommy's game and castigated Dean for his. She cast her jury vote for Tommy, helping him win the title of Sole Survivor in an 8-2-0 vote.

Episode Tribe
Affiliation
Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out? Result
1 Vokai Tower of Equality Reward/Immunity No Won
2 Rung O Star Reward/Immunity No Lost
3 Beam Me Up Reward/Immunity No Won
4 Ow Pairs Reward/Immunity No Won
Switched Tribes, Day 12
5 Lairo Headlong Flight Reward No Lost
Discography Immunity No Lost
6 Heroes End Reward No Lost
Cage Against the Machine Immunity No Won
7 Box Car Blues Reward1 No Lost
Faulty Towers Immunity No Lost
Tribes Merged, Day 20
8 Lumuwaku Pegs Over Easy Immunity Lost
Voted Out, Day 22
Notes:
^1 An unaired Reward Challenge was held on Day 17.

Episode Kellee's
Votes
Voted Against
Kellee
1 Vokai Tribe Immune
2 Molly -
3 Vokai Tribe Immune
4 Vokai Tribe Immune
5 Tom -
6 Lairo Tribe Immune
7 Dean1 -
8 Dan Aaron, Dan, Dean, Elaine,
Elizabeth, Lauren, Missy, Tommy
Voted Out, Day 22
Voted for
Sole Survivor
Tommy

^1 In "I Was Born at Night, but Not Last Night", Dean used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating Kellee's vote against him.

Post-Survivor[]

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Trivia[]

  • Kellee is the first castaway to win the mentors' challenge at the Island of the Idols.
  • Kellee is the first woman to find multiple Hidden Immunity Idols in one episode, and the second contestant overall following Tai Trang.
  • Kellee is the second woman to find multiple Hidden Immunity Idols in a single season, following Kelley Wentworth in Cambodia.
    • They would be followed by Janet Carbin, also in Island of the Idols.
  • Kellee set the franchise record for most Hidden Immunity Idols found by a woman in a single season, with 3.
  • Kellee is the second castaway to be voted out with multiple Hidden Immunity Idols, following James Clement in China.
  • Kellee lost 11 lbs. during her time on Island of the Idols.[3]

References[]

Survivor: Island of the Idols Castaways
 Aaron
Lairo
S39 aaron t
 Chelsea
Lairo
S39 chelsea t
 Dan
Vokai
S39 dan t
 Dean
Lairo
S39 dean t
 Elaine
Lairo
S39 elaine t
 Elizabeth
Lairo
S39 elizabeth t
 Jack
Vokai
S39 jack t
 Jamal
Vokai
S39 jamal t
 Janet
Vokai
S39 janet t
 Jason
Vokai
S39 jason t
 Karishma
Lairo
S39 karishma t
 Kellee
Vokai
S39 kellee t
 Lauren
Vokai
S39 lauren t
 Missy
Lairo
S39 missy t
 Molly
Vokai
S39 molly t
 Noura
Vokai
S39 noura t
 Ronnie
Lairo
S39 ronnie t
 Tom
Lairo
S39 tom t
 Tommy
Vokai
S39 tommy t
 Vince
Lairo
S39 vince t
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