- "You try to get students angry at me? You think I'm afraid of them?"
- ―Kwon to John Kreese[src]
Kwon Jae-Sung (Hangul: 권재성) better known as Kwon, is the secondary antagonist in season 6 of Cobra Kai, serving as the secondary antagonist during part 1, and one of the two secondary antagonists during part 2. He was portrayed by Brandon H. Lee.
Kwon was the top student of Master Kim Da-Eun in Korea and was part of the newly revived Cobra Kai Dojo. He and his classmates participate in the Sekai Taikai. However, he dies during the all-dojo brawl after unintentionally fatally stabbing himself with Kreese's eunjangdo.
Cobra Kai[]
Season 6[]
Not much about Kwon’s past is known, particularly his childhood. He was stated to have a tough life and continue to build up more anger as the years went on. He found an outlet in Cobra Kai, but was a major troublemaker since he was young, as stated by his sensei, Kim Da-Eun. While training in the dojo, he developed a rivalry with Yoon Do-Jin. Not following the ultimate defense breaker technique that Da-Eun tells her students to master, Kwon instead maked the board holder raise it, performing a 540 spinning hook kick or a cheat 720 hook kick, snapping the wood in half. Since he didn't listen to Da-Eun's instruction, Kwon was told to clean Grandmaster Kim Sun-Yung's toilet as punishment.
During a training session, Kwon states his way of defeating opponents with a bigger heart and resolve without sincerity, leading sensei John Kreese to turn the other students against him by forcing them all to do an intensive exercise due to Kwon's behavior. Angry at Kwon's antics, Yoon pushes him down, much to the anger of Kwon.
John Kreese, who has just found out the main secrets of Cobra Kai's strength through Kim Sun-Yung's guidance, tells Kwon to unleash all of his anger to defeat his opponents after Kwon confronts the sensei about being attacked by his peers.
Immediately following their chat, Kwon used his pent-up frustration on the top model student of the dojo, Yoon Do-Jin, and pushes him, catching the student off guard. Jin asks him if he has had enough, to which Kwon says he has had enough with him. Jin attacks him but Kwon easily blocks his strikes and then hits his foot. He tells Jin that while he is formidable due to him always doing what he is told, this also makes him predictable. Jin attacks him again but is quickly defeated by Kwon. Kwon then uses his strength to defeat the two others who had talked with Do-Jin. After defeating them, Jin kicks him. The two fight again, with Kwon attacking Do-Jin's neck with a two-hand Viper chop (a technique Kwon learned by himself) and uses a trachea strike to make his breath go away. Kwon then dismantles Do-Jin's legs with his kicks, knocking him out with a flipping kick with one leg. Kwon takes the geum baeji (gold badge), a badge that represents the top student, and claims it for himself, showing he is the better fighter. He then becomes the main leader of Cobra Kai for the upcoming Sekai Taikai in Barcelona.
During one of the first events of the Sekai Taikai, he, Yoon, and Tory fight Axel and Zara but lose in mere seconds. In another early event of the tournament, he faces Miyagi-Do captain Robby Keene and while the latter initially had the edge, he loses focus, leading to Kwon defeating him to earn a point for Cobra Kai. While at a bar, he intentionally messes with Robby by flirting with Tory in front of him and mocking Robby. Afterwards, he, Yoon, and a few other Cobra Kai's briefly get into a fight with Samantha LaRusso and Axel.
Later in the tournament, Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do find themselves in a crucial elimination round, with only one dojo able to advance. After defeating Miyagi Do's Miguel Diaz, he has a rematch with Robby. However, a focused and rageful Robby easily defeats him, causing Cobra Kai to be eliminated at first. The following morning, a furious Kwon accuses Robby of getting lucky and briefly got into it with Tory. However, shortly afterward, the Russian-based Tiger Strike is disqualified after some of the pupils tested positive for performance-enhanced drugs, causing Cobra Kai to get another chance. He easily wins his subsequent semifinal match, earning Cobra Kai a spot in the finals.
During the all-dojo brawl, Kwon grabs the eunjangdo that Kreese dropped and attempts to murder Axel. As Daniel tries to stop Kwon, Axel manages to kick his foot causing Kwon to fall on the ground and fatally stab himself as he screams in pain causing the whole brawl to stop. As everyone gathers around to look at Kwon’s body lying on the ground, Daniel goes to check on him, finding him with the eunjangdo stuck in his body, shocking everyone.
Personality[]
Kwon was a temperamental and rebellious student and person, choosing to fight his own way and not following Kim Da Eun's instructions. He had a lot of arrogance and he did not respect anyone other than himself. He in particular had a dislike towards the then top student Yoon Do-Jin. He also had a lot of pent up anger and vengeance in him, and after being advised by Kreese to give his anger purpose, he aggressively beats up Do-Jin and his friends, leading to him becoming his dojo's top student.
His behavior does seem to mirror a young Mike Barnes and Chozen. Because of being selfish, Kwon made a fatal mistake that costs his life during the Brawl, accidentally stabbing himself instead of Axel, while trying to murder the latter. This was also the result of his behavior mirroring a young Johnny Lawrence when it came to his anger. Because of this, Kwon was unable to control himself, and was reckless with Kreese’s eunjangdo, which is partially what resulted in his accidental death.
A lifeless Kwon with Kreese’s eunjangdo sticking out of his chest.
Fighting Style[]
Kwon’s martial arts foundation is rooted in the original Cobra Kai style, developed by Kim Sun-Yung and based on the traditional Korean art of Tang Soo Do. With extensive training in this style, Kwon has honed his skills over many years.
His fighting approach showcases advanced kicking techniques; mainly involving multiple combination kicks mid-air, advanced rotation kicks, or both, often demonstrated through impressive board-breaking displays. These powerful kicks are complemented by his defensive maneuvers, which create openings for devastating counterattacks. One of Kwon’s signature moves is the two-handed "Viper Chop," a technique he has refined within the Cobra Kai framework. His punches carry significant force, capable of momentarily incapacitating opponents.
In addition to his striking abilities, Kwon possesses remarkable agility and acrobatic skills, executing maneuvers not typically seen among other Cobra Kai students. His aggressive "no mercy" mindset, central to the Cobra Kai philosophy, further amplifies his danger as a fighter.
During his match against Do-Jin, Kwon effectively channels his pent-up anger, using his skills and awareness of Do-Jin's predictability to secure an easy victory. He also swiftly defeats two other students associated with Do-Jin.
Overall, Kwon Jae-Sung is recognized as the most powerful, ruthless fighter to emerge from the Cobra Kai dojo since the infamous Mike Barnes in The Karate Kid Part III, demonstrating even greater skill than Barnes. His mastery of the Cobra Kai style, creativity in developing new techniques, and sheer physical prowess make him a formidable threat in the ongoing rivalry among the various dojos.
However, Kwon does have a minor weakness in his style, particularly in his punches. Kwon possesses more striking speed and strength in his legs than he does in his arms, which is why he prefers using kicks to defeat his opponents. So in the few times he’s tried to land a punch on an opponent, namely Miguel and Robby, the two boys were able to counter Kwon’s attacks.
Appearances[]
Season 6[]
- Sleeper
- Best of the Best
- Benvinguts a Barcelona
- Dog in the Fight
- Snakes on a Plane
- Blood In Blood Out
- Eunjangdo (death)
Trivia[]
- Kwon is the third deceased character in the contemporary timeline, following Grace Nichols and Tommy. He is also the first teenage character to die on-screen. He is also the first to meet a violent demise, whereas the other two characters died naturally. It is likely that Kwon's death will be formally certified by his government as accidental. While it gave the apparent look of seppuku, multiple witnesses can testify that he had not attempted suicide and it was a violent attack that backfired.
- Kwon is the first Cobra Kai student since the movie franchise to try to kill someone. The previous student was Mike Barnes in the third film.