Kween Kong Profile
Kween Kong is a Pasifika New Zealander TV Personality, Drag Performer, and Former Dancer known for appearing most recently in the show “RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars”. He has also appeared in the shows “Bring Back My Girls”, “RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under”, “Erotic Stories”, and “The Project”.
Kween Kong Wiki
Real Name: Thomas Charles Fonua
Profession: TV Personality and Drag Queen
Nationality: Filipino
Education: Not Available
Gender: Non-Binary
Pronouns: He/Him (Out of Drag) | She/Her (In Drag)
Date of Birth: August 9, 1992
Age / How Old is Kween Kong?: 32 years old as of 2023
Country of Birth: New Zealand
Height / How tall is Kween Kong?: 5 feet 11 inches
Parents: Not Available
Marital Status: Not Available
Net Worth: $500K – $1 Million
Kween Kong Career and Awards
Kong has had an intensive career as a drag performer and as a dancer (these are discussed below). Aside from that, is the founder of Haus of Kong, a group that provides jobs and support to young people who have been rejected by their families because of their sexuality. The group also helps new drag artists with guidance and support. Kong’s costumes are designed by Sheri McCoy, an Adelaide-based costume maker known as CostumeCreater.
Early Life
Kong started dancing when he was 7 years old after his grandmother began teaching his sister. As a child, he visited Samoa and Tonga, staying with family and helping with chores. He grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness, going to church with his family several times a week until he was about 16 years old when his parents separated. His family noticed he was gay at a young age.
At 16, he faced a big decision – his dad encouraged him to play rugby for the New Zealand men’s under-19 team, which could lead to joining the All Blacks. The other option was to join Black Grace, New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company. His father worried he would be mocked if he chose dancing. He decided to train with Black Grace for 2 years, which involved moving away from home and touring with much older performers. He found it especially tough to tour Germany for several months.
Kween Kong Drag Career
While residing in Adelaide, Australia, Kong and a friend joined a Halloween-themed drag show, which led him to start performing drag under the name Kween Kong. This name came from Fonua’s rugby nickname, which reflected his strong and unique style. Fonua says this drag persona makes him feel powerful. In the year 2019, he performed with Maggie Beer at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in an event called Liner Notes Live, where they celebrated with music from The Blues Brothers film.
Kong appeared in the cabaret show Black Puddin’ at the Adelaide Fringe in March 2022. In mid-2022, Kong choreographed, co-created, and starred in Rella, a new version of Cinderella for kids, which was presented by Windmill Theatre Co in Adelaide. He competed as “Kween Kong” in the 2nd season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under starting July 2, 2022, and ended up as a runner-up. He was the first Pasifika person to be on the show. In September 2022, Fonua performed for 29 days at the Edinburgh Fringe in 27 Briefs Factory. In May 2023, he went to Los Angeles to work on some music that was released later that year.
Kween Kong Dance Career
After Kong finished his training with Black Grace, he worked with them as a full-time principal dancer for half a decade – including taking part in international tours. He also received an Indigenous Dance Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada, where he worked as both a new choreographer and a dancer for about 3 years. While in Canada, he was an associate artist with Red Sky Performance and performed with the Toronto Dance Theatre. Later, he moved to Australia and danced with the Sydney Dance Company.
Throughout Kong’s dance career, he collaborated with Rafael Bonachela, Neil Ieremia, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and more. After moving to Australia around 2014 or 2013, he joined the Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) in Adelaide, South Australia, where he was a principal dancer for about 7 years.
Kween Kong Awards and Honors
Over the years of his career, Kong has won several honors and awards. In the year 2014, Kong received the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Award for Arts and Creativity. In August 2019, he was honored with a “30 Under 30” award by Coming Out Australia, supported by the Boston Consulting Group. That same year, Kong won the Miss Drag Nation Australia title in Drag Nation Australia (a national drag competition) where participants first compete at the state level before reaching the national finals. In the year 2022, for Outstanding Choreography in Canada, Kong became a nominee for the Dora Award.
Kween Kong Personal Life, Family, Parents, and Dating
Kong was born on August 9, 1992, in New Zealand. He is therefore 32 years old as of 2023 and he celebrates his birthday every year on August 9. He stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 11 inches. Kong grew up in South Auckland, New Zealand along with his 3 siblings: 1 younger sister and 2 older brothers (their names are unknown). However, Kong has managed to keep information about his parents, as well as his dating life away from the limelight. However, he is of indigenous Tongan and Samoan descent.
Kween Kong Net Worth
Kong has an approximate net worth of between $500K and $1 Million which he has earned through his successful career as a TV Personality and Drag Performer.
Kween Kong RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under
Kong starred in the 2ns season of the show, “RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under”, which premiered on July 30, 2022, on BBC Three, TVNZ+, TVNZ 2, Stan, and WOW Presents Plus. There he was placed Runner-Up and was eliminated in the eighth episode (sent home by Spankie Jackzon). At the show, he managed to achieve 2 challenge wins.
Kween Kong RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars
Kong is among the stars of Season One of the reality TV series “RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars”, which premiered on August 16, 2024, on the Paramount+ network and WOW Presents Plus. In this show, Kong competes for a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame (an international pavilion) and a cash prize of $200K among other drag queens.
Below is a list of the other drag queens;
- Alyssa Edwards
- Athena Likis
- Eva Le Queen
- Gala Varo
- Kitty Scott-Claus
- Miranda Lebrão
- Nehellenia
- Pythia
- Soa de Muse
- Tessa Testicle
- Vanity Vain