Kono Kalakaua left Hawaii Five-0 to start a new life on the mainland with her husband.
Kono Kalakaua, played by Grace Park, was a key character on the CBS show Hawaii Five-0. She was a former professional surfer and a member of the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, which is a specialized police state task force in Hawaii. In the show’s narrative, Kono departs after the seventh season to pursue justice for sex trafficking victims. This storyline was introduced as a way to write out Grace Park’s character from the show.
The departure of Kono was part of a significant cast shake-up that occurred between the seventh and eighth seasons. Grace Park, along with her co-star Daniel Dae Kim, who played Chin Ho Kelly, left the series due to contract disputes that reportedly involved salary equality with their co-stars. The show addressed Kono’s absence by explaining that she had moved to the mainland with her husband, Adam Noshimuri, to lead a task force dedicated to combating sex trafficking. This allowed the character to have a meaningful and positive exit, aligning with her strong sense of justice and commitment to protecting the vulnerable. Kono’s departure was felt by fans and characters alike, as she had been a beloved member of the team since the show’s inception.
