S31: Woo Hwang

[Whimsy]

Meet Woo Hwang from Survivor: Cagayan (Season 28), who returns to play on Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance.

 

This daydreaming martial artist from Survivor: Cagayan is primarily remembered for his vibrant attitude, and for taking his ally, Tony Vlachos, to the Final Two.

 

Here is your Woo Hwang topic.

[rose711]

On Instagram Woo has a photo of his getting engaged to his long term girlfriend Christina at Hampton Court Gardens . Very happy for them and they are a beautiful couple.

https://instagram.com/p/6utZ1ciOwt/?taken-by=hwang112

Not getting engaged at the finale could mean that Woo doesn't make the final 3, (though maybe that is not required) or it may just move that he's not a reality show star wannabe who wants to extend his 15 minutes of fame.

I'm a fan and hope he does well, but he lacks a pregame alliance, is a clear physical threat and has to deal with the resentment of the other players who feel they would have been able to win in his place and feel he threw away his chance, a chance they never had.

Not to mention, he is extremely popular with fans and lights up the screen whenever he is on. He's good tv. So there may be jealousy from the people who had to campaign, while he,like Joe, sailed in on the popular vote.

He and Joe are my eye candy and I just hope they last a few weeks. I don't think he will make the merge and it breaks my heart.

In any event, I am firmly supporting Woo. Whatever the outcome of this season, Woo will continue to have a strong fan base.

I'm just sad that I feel these players won't value Woos loyalty and instead of working with him, will vote him out pre merge.

[LadyChatts]

The one issue I had with Woo the first time is how he handled the end.  I don't like people who make an obvious error in who they take to the end (or in certain cases, make a decision knowing it will 100% cost them).  At the time, I think Tony could have lost against certain people that were on the jury.  Woo obviously wasn't one of them.  But Woo had that million locked up against Kass.  Hey, he still got $100k and a chance to come back.  But judging from tonight, he's as clueless as he was before.  I think loyalty and being nice are going to get in Woo's way just like they did the last time.  Ta'Keo seems to be the tribe where no one except Spencer learned from their past mistakes (and I guess Terry, who at least recognized how poor his social game was).

Edited September 24, 2015 by LadyChatts

[cooksdelight]

Woo is a beautiful airhead.

[cherrypj]

Did no one read this article on Weasel Woo? Perhaps a victory against Kass wasn't all that certain. 

[cooksdelight]

Woo had allegedly disappeared from camp and managed to sneak into an unoccupied production tent where he was able to drink water and eat snacks, all while keeping completely dry. Not only was this blatantly cheating but he supposedly didn’t even attempt to share any of the loot with his tribe-mates.

If this is true, why was his name put back in for consideration for this season?

[cherrypj]

If this is true, why was his name put back in for consideration for this season?

 

 

Not to channel @henripootel, but ... because production liked him for all that he weaseled around.

[cooksdelight]

The writer used the word "cheated" which made me wonder why they'd want to reward someone with a second chance if they did, indeed, cheat or break the rules.

[ProfCrash]

I am shocked that he is back if those allegations are true.

[Guest]

That blog post looks like something someone mocked up to try to sell his ebook.  Anyone can post a bunch of allegations he purportedly got from 'sources'.  I'm not defending Woo, I don't care either way about him, but the whole thing is pretty flimsy, from a credibility standpoint.  

[marys1000]

Well there is that old maxim "if you aren't cheating you aren't trying". 

Isn't that what Survivor is all about?  People's various lines in the sand and their rationalizations/justifications about what is cheating?  What is Survivor game play? 

 

I thought sneaking into the producers tent wasn't cheating so much as a fun thing to do just for bragging rights.  Yea sure, he was dry and got food and water.  Good for him. 

 

And if I found a camel back of water on the beach - who wouldn't drink it and why is that bad? 

 

Not the first to steal food either although I'm a little more bothered by that.  Jenn from last season said she and some others did, why not they were being pagonged and it was a way to screw the other side.  Jane (that dog breeding bitch) did.  I don't like it when people don't help around camp.  To me that is like stealing food shelter water.  So I don't really like food stealing either although the way Jenn put it, it seemed.......less bad somehow. 

[ProfCrash]

Jenn took food from the camp. Slimey but fair game. Woo took food from Production. Production stuff is out of bounds and not available to everyone. One is screwing over castmates the other is taking something that is not available to all. It is no different then Richard smuggling a lighter into All Stars in his bum. It is why Production took away the flint that PG had included in her clothing that they totally missed.

 

I actually think that PG should have been able to keep the flint. She didn't hide it, it was on her clothing. If Production missed it during their search then screw them. Rich hid the lighter up his butt, I get them missing that and that being a violation. PG gave them every chance to find the flint, they missed it. Woo was taking food and water from places he was not suppose to be. It gave him extra energy that the others did not have access to. That is an unfair advantage.

[rose711]

I really hate that some anonymous, unsubstantiated reports are being posed around like they have been proven.

For me, even if all of this is true, I still like Woo tremendously.

[Guest]

Woo took food from Production. 

Allegedly.  Alleged by someone who claims to have show secrets to sell.  

[KimberStormer]

Ignoring the unsubstantiated rumors, I just find it astonishing that anyone thinks Woo snatching the idol clue was anything but the right thing to do.  It's weird to me that going through people's stuff makes people so upset.  (Happened with Reed, too, for example, people flipping out at this unconscionable violation.)  I must assume that in the game of Survivor, everyone ends up seeing their castmates naked, possibly in the most intimate and delicate of situations, at their physically grossest and most emotionally vulnerable, not to mention that nobody thinks it's wrong to eavesdrop (do they?) on conversations, whether they concern voting strategy or, like, the time they got an abortion in high school and never told their parents; not to mention all this is captured on camera to be broadcast to the entire world--all their personal privacy is violated and destroyed, constantly, relentlessly out there.  But their property is somehow sacred?  Why?  Especially when Woo was not looking at, like, embarrassing photos of Spencer's childhood, but a game piece, created by producers, distributed by producers, with no relevance or value in any sense except a game sense?  I value my privacy very much and the thought of people going through my diary or whatever freaks me right the fuck out, but! a) that's why I don't apply for Survivor and b) people looking at my impersonal junk mail and advertising circulars does not bother me.  The clue is more like a coupon than a love letter.

 

Steal that shit.  Of course steal that shit.  Then find the idol yourself.  Spencer's mistake to leave it lying around.  Don't make some mystical taboo out of idol clues of all things, and lose the game to such bizarre superstition!

Edited September 25, 2015 by KimberStormer

[cherrypj]

That blog post looks like something someone mocked up to try to sell his ebook. 

 

That "someone" is Redmond. I don't know Redmond from a hole in the ground, but he's considered the knees of the bees in the spoiler thread. Does that make his story more credible? I don't know! 

 

But I love reading shit like that.

[ProfCrash]

Redmonds spoilers have been very accurate. He had the name of all of the possible returnees weeks before they were released. Hell, he knew the format for getting onto second chances long before people had a clue. He witholds spoilers in order to protect his sources but has been happily shooting stuff down as it has been released. He has a very good reputation and appears to have some solid connections with Survivors and Production members.

 

While there is no direct evidence now, I find his report more credible then the "Kel had jerky" in Australia.

 

I didn't want Woo to return for many reasons, hell I didn't even know about this allegation. Woo is boring, easily lead, and clueless. It is like bringing Fabio back or any of the other airheads. He took the space of someone who actually understood the game and wanted to play the game. He was voted back in so I have to deal with him but I hope he goes sooner rather then later because I find him to be boring and clueless.

 

I had no problem with him taking the clue from Spencer. I believe that the rule says that they cannot take things out of their bags but I am not sure about that.

[Guest]

Oh ok, that makes it more credible to me. I don't read spoiler threads, typically.  

 

I'm in the "I don't much care" camp for this one, though.  If production leaves Camelbaks of water laying around and their camp unsupervised, I'm not surprised this happens.  There are interpretations of the rules.  Dalton Ross said Jeff had to stop the first immunity challenge because Joe was leaning further through the bars than he told them was allowed at the onset.   These people are playing hard and looking for any advantage or loophole they can get.  

[cooksdelight]

Me, personally, I'd be doing anything I could to drive Probst crazy. Just because. :)

[Wings]

IIRC, the rules state you can look through another's belongings but you cannot steal anything.  

 

I don't think Woo would have been voted in again if we had more choices.  !0 men/10 women from 30 choices (I think)  and no option of voting for fewer put him in.  Lesser of the evils.  

[millennium]

Ignoring the unsubstantiated rumors, I just find it astonishing that anyone thinks Woo snatching the idol clue was anything but the right thing to do.  It's weird to me that going through people's stuff makes people so upset.  (Happened with Reed, too, for example, people flipping out at this unconscionable violation.)  I must assume that in the game of Survivor, everyone ends up seeing their castmates naked, possibly in the most intimate and delicate of situations, at their physically grossest and most emotionally vulnerable, not to mention that nobody thinks it's wrong to eavesdrop (do they?) on conversations, whether they concern voting strategy or, like, the time they got an abortion in high school and never told their parents; not to mention all this is captured on camera to be broadcast to the entire world--all their personal privacy is violated and destroyed, constantly, relentlessly out there.  But their property is somehow sacred?  Why?  Especially when Woo was not looking at, like, embarrassing photos of Spencer's childhood, but a game piece, created by producers, distributed by producers, with no relevance or value in any sense except a game sense?  I value my privacy very much and the thought of people going through my diary or whatever freaks me right the fuck out, but! a) that's why I don't apply for Survivor and b) people looking at my impersonal junk mail and advertising circulars does not bother me.  The clue is more like a coupon than a love letter.

 

Steal that shit.  Of course steal that shit.  Then find the idol yourself.  Spencer's mistake to leave it lying around.  Don't make some mystical taboo out of idol clues of all things, and lose the game to such bizarre superstition!

 

I objected to Woo's thieving of the immunity idol clue.

 

I hate sneaks.  They're worse than liars, IMHO.

Edited September 25, 2015 by millennium

[LadyChatts]

I think Woo got on for the recency factor, and being part of the one of the most popular seasons ever.  Had he been a part of One World, he would have been taking the losers bus back to the hotel.  I admit he got votes from me, but that had to do with the alternatives of people I didn't want to see.  Wonder if it was Woo, not Keith, who got Mike's spot.

 

I always love hearing these behind the scenes takes.  I know contestants are allowed to go through each others belongings (that was how Tyler found out what Dan's advantage was last season-and also discovered he never lost his underwear).  That goes way back to Australia during beef jerky gate.  I'm fine with certain things, but I think production tents (even if they are unsupervised) should totally be off limits and a penalty thrown in.  What the penalty should be, I don't know.  I don't think Woo should have been allowed to return, however.  Maybe they considered him fodder and didn't think he stood a chance.

[cooksdelight]

I don't think Woo should have been allowed to return, however. Maybe they considered him fodder and didn't think he stood a chance.

I think that's true on both counts. Maybe he's going to get an edit that really shows how dense he can be.

[Eolivet]

Yes, I'm of the mindset that if production really had a problem with this, he wouldn't have been included on the list of candidates. Including him meant they were fine with it. He clearly makes good TV, which is all they care about.

 

I tend to believe this is true, but I don't really care. Unless Woo went on an immunity run I've forgotten, there was clearly very little help, game-wise (other than angering his tribemates) from his antics. It sounds like he has to think about the trade-off: personal gratification vs. "zero chance of winning the game."

[cooksdelight]

"Woo" and "think" are not two words I connect too often. :)

[NutMeg]

I liked Woo in his first season for the way he was enjoying the game, which I always like in contestants (one of the only things I liked in Russel Hantz, for instance, was his glee at being there). I wouldn't want to watch a season of only Woos, but to me he was cast in the way plenty of good looking ladies are: eye candy and potential for more. I particularly liked him at one of the rewards, with kids at a school. I think a season of only Big Strategists, while interesting for hard core fans, might not hold appeal to the more casual viewers. Hence why I think we do need people such as Woo and other beautiful people who have pleasantly surprised in the past (for instance, I doubt that Parvati was first chosen for her strategic talent seeing as she was portrayed her first season). In his first season, Woo was assigned to the Brawn tribe, but he would have fitted nicely in the beauty tribe too (better than some who made up that tribe, actually).

 

As for this story of Woo sneaking into production camp, whether it's true or not, I'd say the one who looks like an idiot here is production. Aren't cameras supposed to follow these people 24/7? How could someone have escaped their attention long enough to be able to do that? As I see it, the fault is as much if not more on the person who was assigned to following Woo around. If you have food lying around a few hundred feet from hungry people, and you don't prevent hungry people from getting to food, I don't fault hungry people from getting to food. I realize YMMV etc. and that my view of Woo is biased because I think he is sweet eye candy :-) (plus he looks like a much more melloe version of Samurai Jack!). Exploiting a loophole is not something I fault people for. And I've never been desperate to eat in my life, so no idea what I would or would not do for food (and I hope I never find out!).

[Wings]

 

As for this story of Woo sneaking into production camp, whether it's true or not, I'd say the one who looks like an idiot here is production.

 

I agree, Nutmeg.

[BigRedCheese]

 

It's weird to me that going through people's stuff makes people so upset.

 

It's weird to me when people aren't upset by it. However, it became clear long ago that production will let you do pretty much anything you want as long as you don't physically assault someone, so I have accepted that it's more or less allowed, doesn't mean I have to like it though.

[Wings]

Interesting article on Woo by Redmond. 

 

http://insidesurvivor.com/2015/09/the-mystery-of-weasel-woo/

[Wings]

That's the same one posted above that we've been discussing.  

 

 

oops.  

[Donny Ketchum]

Woo hasn't learned a damn thing.  Ugh.

 

Don't know why he's so popular.  He's just a total dummy, and not a fun, interesting, or likable one.

 

And I usually root for the Asian players.

[henripootel]

Not to channel @henripootel, but ... because production liked him for all that he weaseled around.

I am summoned.  Production has overlooked a whole lot worse, most notably (and beyond a reasonable doubt) they forgave Russell for spoiling at least two seasons, and invited him back.  Having decided to get Woo back on the show, I could see why they'd want to protect his persona. Production also isn't exactly married to the rulebook when it suits them not to be, and I can see why they wouldn't want to draw attention to this fact.  If it got around that Woo cheated and they knew it and did nothing, it'd surely disappoint some portion of their viewership.  Best to just cover it up.

As for this story of Woo sneaking into production camp, whether it's true or not, I'd say the one who looks like an idiot here is production.

 

What if (god forbid and I'm not saying these are equivalent) Woo punched somebody in the nose - would that be production's fault for not preventing him from doing so 24/7?  Games have rules and you expect adults who've said that they'll follow them to, I dunno, follow them.  The world doesn't end if they don't but I'm not inclined to make a folk hero out of Woo for cheating.  

I objected to Woo's thieving of the immunity idol clue.

I hate sneaks.  They're worse than liars, IMHO.

 

Not for nothing, but many of the HII clues these days are tantamount to having the HII itself.  Witness this last week - the clue was extremely specific about just where to find the HII, and I'd go so far as to say that nobody would ever have figured out where the HII was without the clue.  Stealing that clue could have been nearly the same as stealing the HII itself.  Seems to me that this whole stealing / rifling through other people's stuff thing is a pretty slippery slope, and by the time you think it could get out of hand, it already has. 

Edited September 29, 2015 by henripootel

[ProfCrash]

If they are going to hide a clue at a challenge the clue has to be X marks the spot. The challenge is picking it up,in plain view, without being seen.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I wouldn't want to watch a season of only Woos, but to me he was cast in the way plenty of good looking ladies are: eye candy and potential for more. I particularly liked him at one of the rewards, with kids at a school.

 

Exactly.  How many seasons have I watched with "airhead FEMALE eye candy"; some seasons feel to me like half the cast is of this, and that's why Seasons like Cook and Fiji were my favourites (more racially diverse; less of the white female airhead with implants type of castmember that Mark Burnett seems to love to overcast so much.)  Finally the show just gave up and did a season of "Brawn/Beauty/Brains" so that they could pretend it was more transparent.  And even funnier, wasn't Woo considered Brawn?  He's far more Beauty than Brawn.  Just not by Mark Burnett standards.

 

Like, Monica, who the hell is that?  What season is she from?  This is rhetorical, I don't even want to know the answer.  And Woo is far, far, far more memorable in my opinion.  One of the most beautiful players and he's Asian to boot, that's a bonus for people who want more minority players.  The challenge at the school sealed my love.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Oholibamah]

Exactly. How many seasons have I watched with "airhead FEMALE eye candy"; some seasons feel to me like half the cast is of this, and that's why Seasons like Cook and Fiji were my favourites (more racially diverse; less of the white female airhead with implants type of castmember that Mark Burnett seems to love to overcast so much.) Finally the show just gave up and did a season of "Brawn/Beauty/Brains" so that they could pretend it was more transparent. And even funnier, wasn't Woo considered Brawn? He's far more Beauty than Brawn. Just not by Mark Burnett standards.

Like, Monica, who the hell is that? What season is she from? This is rhetorical, I don't even want to know the answer. And Woo is far, far, far more memorable in my opinion. One of the most beautiful players and he's Asian to boot, that's a bonus for people who want more minority players. The challenge at the school sealed my love.

In fairness, a lot of it is editing. Woo got a more present and favorable edit than most "female eyecandy" types.

I think Woo sounds just as stupid, if not moreso, than Purple Kelly.

Monica was unfortunate to be on a tribe that won everything in the beginning and lost after the merge. When she WAS shown, she was eloquent, cagey and assertive. I'll take that over braindead surferboy any day.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Never said Woo was edited to be smart.  But he was edited as charismatic and memorable to me.

[ToastnBacon]

I like Woo, he isn't an obnoxious bag of wind like some of the players who have pretended to be pure and honorable.

Like Coach and Rupert for example.

I'd much rather watch Woo than those two idiots.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I like Woo, he isn't an obnoxious bag of wind like some of the players who have pretended to be pure and honorable.

Like Coach and Rupert for example.

I'd much rather watch Woo than those two idiots.

 

If those are the choices, sure, let's have more seasons with Woo and fewer with Ben Wade and Rupert.  That still doesn't mean Woo is a good player, though.

[LadyChatts]

Woo's clueless but I loved him during that sit down with Shirin and Spencer. I believe Shirin is right, unless he gets taken along for the ride to be a goat. However, he also made a good point that they wanted nothing to do with him until they needed him. I just loved the look during that conversation.

[ByaNose]

Woo really does have that blank stare & clueless looking face down pat. He's seem super nice but he's horrible at this game. That said, if he makes the merge and wins some II he will probably go very far.

[LadyChatts]

Woo really does have that blank stare & clueless looking face down pat. He's seem super nice but he's horrible at this game. That said, if he makes the merge and wins some II he will probably go very far.

 

Woo might surprise me, but maybe he's putting on the clueless act this time around so as not to be deemed a threat, then can act later when no one suspects him.  However, I don't think he will surprise me in that regard, nor do I think he's learned.  He reminds me of the very first season of BB with its very camera conscious and super nice HG-everything should just go according to plan (and that's great as long as he's not getting blindsided in the process) and there shouldn't be side deals being made and everyone should be singing kumbaya around the fire.  I mean, he had no reason to go with Shirin or Spencer, but in the game of surviving, people on the chopping block make last minute deals and sometimes do succeed in getting a reprieve.  It wasn't going to happen in this case, but down the road, hopefully he's a little more observant if he's being pulled aside, and doesn't just assume.

Edited October 1, 2015 by LadyChatts

[CletusMusashi]

Where is he finding all that pot? I swear, every single time he's about to appear on camera, he takes an enormous bong hit first.

[NutMeg]

Now we know he doesn't watch Survivor - he was the only one who didn't know how to spell "Shirin" - and that pissed the lady off.

 

Still, good on him for saying no and why when Shirin and Spencer approached him (I bet his beef was more with Spencer, who trash talked him all he could during their season, but his reasons were valid with regards to Shirin too). 

[ProfCrash]

Woo was on point tonight. I liked that he told it like it was. I don't think Spencer and Shirin had any problem what he said to them. They knew that he was right and they were fine with it.

[Hera]

Woo was right not to flip because no one else was, and I doubt he had the clout to get anyone (much less two people) to flip with him. All it would have done was put himself against the majority and it wouldn't have helped Shirin or Spencer. Since he unexpectedly ended up in the minority last week, I can see why he would be extra-wary of flipping on the other six people he was voting with.

 

As for being viewed as an immunity threat after the merge, Tasha and Spencer both won more individual immunities than Woo did in Cagayan and I'm sure Joe, Jeremy and potentially Terry will be viewed as threats as well. As long as at least two of the aforementioned people make it to the merge with Woo, there are plenty of places for him to hide. I don't think he will win the game, but if someone can cultivate his loyalty the way Tony did (Woo and Tony always voted together), then he could be very useful in getting his alliance deep into the game.

 

Edited for a missing word.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Hera

[Zuleikha]

I believe Shirin is right, unless he gets taken along for the ride to be a goat. However, he also made a good point that they wanted nothing to do with him until they needed him. I just loved the look during that conversation.

I like Shirin, but I don't think she was right. There is way too much game left at this point for Woo to need to flip from his stable alliance to people he hasn't talked to yet out of fear that he'll be targeted for being an immunity threat. Sure, it could happen that way but there are a lot of other ways things could play out, too. Woo's straightforward shutting them down was awesome. 

 

Now that I've seen some secret scenes where PG emphasizes how connected she felt with Varner, I'm not sure Shirin/Spencer had any play to make that could have worked. But I think their best hope would have been to target Abi for the vote out and emphasize how unreliable Abi is. Kelley definitely wanted an alternative to voting for Spencer/Shirin, and I'm pretty sure PG did, too. Woo and Wiglesworth didn't have any particular love for Abi either. So maybe they could have made a compelling argument to align just for that vote to get out Abi and then let the chips fall where they may.

[LadyChatts]

I agree that Woo needs to be careful, as the tide turned between TC.  Last week Woo got blindsided with Vytas leaving, so he shouldn't get too comfortable or cocky.  However, flipping would have done him no good.  And while he could have easily said that, I do get why he brought it up to Shirin and Spencer that their social game sucked.  Basically its like they flipped sides.  Last week, Spencer and Shirin were golden and in great positions, and Woo was on the outside.  I don't know if he's golden, but at least this week he was in the loop.  Still, I think we're going to be seeing more dumbstruck Woo this season than someone who knows what he is doing.

[KimberStormer]

It would be pretty rich for Spencer to get upset at Woo.

 

Spencer & Shirin: Hey Woo, flip with us.

Woo: No way dude, you guys never even talk to me.  You need a better social game.

Spencer at Tribal: OMG GUYS I NEED A BETTER SOCIAL GAME I PROMISE I WILL BE SOCIAL PLZ BELIEVE, SOCIAL GAAAAAAAAME

{imaginary scene Woo: Hey Spencer, work with me.

Spencer: No way Woo you're a jerk!  You said I needed a social game!  Screw you!}

[NutMeg]

Thanks, KimberStormer, your post above had me laughing out loud - that imaginary scene is gold!

[LadyChatts]

Tonight Woo summed up his own game as a whole: he's always the last to know everything going on.  I really don't care for Woo, and also think he was kind of a waste of a spot for someone that might be in the game more.  But at least his dumbstruck open mouth faces at TC when he gets blindsided again and again are good entertainment.

Edited October 8, 2015 by LadyChatts