Jun Song

Big Brother

Song entered the Big Brother house in 2003 for the 4th season of the show. She was one of the five houseguests to have an ex, Jee Choe, enter the house as an antagonist. Throughout the game, Song used her relationship with Choe to further herself in the game. Midway through the game, Song formed an alliance with her rival Alison Irwin. Jun Song recognized, reacted, and responded well to the challenges of the Big Brother game. Although by no means liked by her housemates, Jun was complimented for having acute strategy and subtly commanding control over the game. She is often credited as the houseguest to have perfected the "floater" strategy.

On day 1, Song was one of the first eight people to enter the house. After being informed of the twist, Song and her housemates formed the Elite Eight alliance and vowed to play against the other five houseguests, labeled "the exes".

On day 27, Head of Household Alison Irwin nominated Song for eviction for the first time. She was nominated alongside Dana Varela, Jun's closest ally and friend, to prevent the possibility of her winning the veto and then using it on Varela. On day 33, Song survived eviction and Varela was unanimously evicted.

On day 43, Song won the Power of Veto and did not use it, securing Head of Household Erika Landin's plan to evict Justin Giovinco, the houseguest they viewed as the biggest threat in the game.

In week 7, Song and Irwin formed an alliance to go to the final two together. Their first decision as an alliance was to vote to evict Jack Owens and take Landin to the final three with them.

In week 8, Song became Head of Household for the first time. As HOH, Song won a special trip outside of the Big Brother house to attend the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. Her disappearance from the house played a part in the Veto competition, which was held before nominations for a second time that season, as the houseguests had to guess where Song was. At her return, Song nominated her ex, Jee Choe, and strategically put up her ally and POV holder, Irwin, alongside Choe to prevent Irwin from potentially using the POV to save either nominee, as well as to hide their alliance. On day 61, Irwin Vetoed herself and Robert Roman was named the replacement nominee. By a 2-0 vote, Choe was unanimously evicted from the house.

In week 9, Song was nominated for eviction for a second time by Head of Household Robert Roman. She was initially nominated alongside Irwin, however Irwin saved herself by winning the Diamond Power of Veto. Landin then automatically became the replacement nominee and, as DPOV holder, Irwin cast the sole eviction vote that week and evicted Landin.

In week 10, Song competed against Roman in the second part of the final HOH competition and won, advancing to the third part of the competition in which she faced off against Irwin. The challenge came down to a tiebreaker, which Song purposely threw so that Irwin could become the last HOH and be the one to evict Roman and at the same time lose his jury vote.

On day 82, during the live finale, Song was declared the winner of the show in a 6-1 jury vote. Song's votes came from Dana Varela, Justin Giovinco, Jack Owens, Erika Landin, Robert Roman, and her ex-boyfriend Jee Choe.

Post-Big Brother, Song appeared in an episode of the CBS sitcom Yes, Dear as herself in a special Big Brother themed episode.

Personal life

Prior to the show, Song worked as a manager in product development at an investment bank in New York, NY, where she had started as an executive assistant five years prior. Jun took a personal leave of absence to enter the Big Brother 4 house. Song is one of the five Asian contestants in Big Brother US history and one of six female winners to date. She is the only Asian contestant to ever win Big Brother US. After winning Big Brother, Song found out her father was in a coma. He died shortly thereafter.

While vacationing in Dominican Republic she met Belgian Davy Goethals. Goethals is a longshoreman in Port Of Ghent. Goethals, who is five years younger, initially rebuffed her as he was in a committed relationship back home. By the end of their trip their talks were so passionate that Goethals ended his relationship and began dating Song. Just six months later, on December 21, 2010, the couple married in New York City. The couple lives in Ghent, Belgium. Song gave birth to her first child, Noah, on March 21, 2012. He was born six weeks early.

In 2012, Song said she did not live off her $500,000 Big Brother 4 (U.S.) winnings, as half went to taxes and the other half went into an apartment.

On May 1, 2014, she opened a Korean eatery called Rice House in her town of Evergem in East Flanders, Belgium.

Song watches Big Brother (U.S.) and continues to comment about the show on her own blog, JunDishes.com. In 2013, she wrote a scathing letter to Julie Chen, host of the show, criticizing Chen for her approach to the issues of racism in Big Brother 15.