Eliminated by Colin, who did not wish to play his adventure during the meeting of ambassadors in Koh Lanta, Setha explains to us his feelings on his journey and his elimination difficult to accept. Interview.
Often in danger during the councils but never eliminated, Setha comes back from afar in Koh Lanta, the cursed totem. The graphic designer was able to count on a smooth bluff around an imaginary necklace that Céline would have given her at the very beginning of the adventure. This false collar allowed him to stay in place until reunification. It was ultimately the choice of the ambassadors, and especially Colin, who got the better of the adventurer who left the adventure when the yellow and red teams reunited. Setha talks to us about this difficult to accept elimination and, more generally, about her journey in Koh Lanta 2022.
Why did you choose to participate in Koh Lanta?
I think you’ve heard it often, it’s a dream. It’s a kiff. Since the first broadcast, it’s an adventure I’ve always seen myself in, so it’s really a dream.
In what state of mind did you arrive when you saw your fellow adventurers?
I didn’t ask myself too many questions, I just looked at the people around me and tried to see the personalities. I didn’t put any pressure on myself, really. I am someone who does things day by day. I started the adventure without too much pressure. I went there headlong. I gone ahead.
What was the hardest for you?
The hardest part was missing my family, but I tried not to talk about it too much. When someone brought up the subject of my family, I tried to divert the conversation because I was afraid of breaking down and giving up to go back to them. That’s what was the hardest.
You had the opportunity to create affinities with certain candidates. Which ones will stick with you the most?
Already, Céline, that’s for sure. With her, it matched well. And then, Yannick and Nicolas. I am still in contact with Celine. Not too much with the boys. Even with Céline, we meet in the calls, in the messages. We try to call each other and everything, but it’s complicated.
What will you remember the most from your journey?
Survival because I didn’t think I was going to be so comfortable in a hostile environment.
We saw it, moreover, when you changed teams and arrived as a liberator because you quickly found something to feed them.
I am of Cambodian origin, sugar cane, I know very well because there is some in my country. Cassava, I hadn’t seen any but I had done some research before leaving. It’s true that on the island, I find myself quite easily. I can distinguish the plants fairly quickly. It made things easier for me. I’m really happy to have been able to help this team from the very first moment to integrate myself. It was great.
There is a very important game fact in your adventure this season, it is Celine’s imaginary necklace. Do you think you would have come this far without that fake necklace?
No. I think that, without this collar, I would have gone out to the first council of the Yellows.
How did you maintain that illusion for so long?
I adapted my behavior to each situation. I tried not to overdo it and not talk too much about it either. I let things happen all by themselves around me rather than shouting from the rooftops that I had a necklace. If I had, I would probably have been unmasked more quickly. There, it was Stephanie who had scattered the info a bit to everyone. It made the bluff even more real.
At the time of reunification, the candidates put their destiny in the hands of the ambassadors. You were prepared to leave the adventure when you saw Colin leave as ambassador?
No not at all. But on the other hand, at the last council, when Alexandra came out, I was ready to leave. I really thought I was going out. There, I was ready. Afterwards, when I got to the ambassadors and the reunification, I couldn’t see myself leaving at all.
Did you trust Colin’s will to go all the way to the black ball?
Before he gave his big speech, I wasn’t too confident. But then he showed us his determination and that’s when I gained confidence. He promised us that he would go to the black ball. When he left, we were super confident.
What is your reaction when Colin tells you that he has chosen to eliminate you?
I feel three emotions: sadness, anger and disappointment.
You have some pretty harsh words towards him during the episode. Over time, have you been able to move beyond this pain?
I’m torn because he’s the one who put an end to my adventure and it’s the adventure of my life. Afterwards, those who are lucky do it several times but I told myself that it was the only time in my life that I went there. It’s hard to get out on one person’s choice. It’s even harder to accept when it’s someone who decides your fate alone. Today, yes I digested it anyway. It’s also his adventure, it’s normal that he doesn’t want to take the risk with the black ball. He also wants to go far. And then he is young. So I take all that into account. I understand. But it’s hard to accept it anyway. If it had been someone else who had taken me out, I would have taken it badly too. What pained me even more was the speech he made before leaving. I would have preferred him not to say anything, to remain fairly vague, rather than go off like that in great conquering warrior mode. It’s even harder to take it.
Do you think that in his place and with the circumstances he experienced, with two black balls out of three, you would have taken the opposite decision and you would still have gone to the black ball against Louana?
I would have made the promise he made, I would have gone to the black ball because I only have one word. But if I had remained vague, no, I would not have gone to the black ball.
Do you have any regrets about this adventure?
No, I have no regrets. I lived a very beautiful adventure.
How do you view your career as a whole?
I think that before going to Koh Lanta, I should have taken swimming lessons! (laughs) But overall it’s okay. Ten years ago, if I had done Koh Lanta, I think I would have performed better on the physical tests. There, I’m not picking up but I could have done better. It’s the only thing I would have changed.
Did the adventure bring you what you were looking for?
I wondered if I was going to be comfortable in nature, how I would manage… And yes, I really had the answers to my questions. In a hostile environment, I find that I am at ease. I’m not afraid of snakes, spiders or scorpions in a hostile environment, whereas when I return to my city, I’m afraid of everything! (laughs) It’s so weird because it’s the environment that makes me adapt. There, for example, if I see a snake in my garden, I freak out, I scream and I lock myself in the house. While there the snakes were 5 centimeters from my feet and I wasn’t even scared.