The Pods
Why Did Anna Yuan Leave ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 9? Inside Her Shocking Exit
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Love Is Blind Season 9 Episodes 1-9.]
We should’ve known the Colorado season of our favorite pod‑based dating show was going to be messy, but nothing could have prepared us for the level of drama that unfolded. Several contestants left during the pods in Season 9 of Love Is Blind — a twist producers leaned into by giving their departures full storylines. One of the most surprising exits? Anna Yuan, who left suddenly and without warning, leaving her match, Patrick Suzuki, completely blindsided.
Patrick revealed that Anna had been his main connection in the pods, and he had even planned to end things with his second match, Kacie Anita McIntosh. So, why did Anna leave? In a new message, Anna is opening up about her decision. Let’s break down everything we know about her time on the show and the details behind her departure.
Who did Anna date in the pods?
Early on, Anna had her eyes set on Patrick. The pair bonded over being children of immigrants, something Patrick admitted he had struggled to connect with in the past. Their connection also featured lighter, quirky moments, including a shared revelation that neither of them had middle names. Anna joked they were like the Spider-Man meme, a playful moment Patrick clearly appreciated, which hinted at their easy chemistry.
Adam Rose / Netflix
Things seemed promising, with both feeling they had a lot in common. That’s why it shocked everyone — Patrick included — when Anna didn’t show up for a date with her fellow Spider-Man. Onscreen text revealed the truth: Anna had left the experiment entirely.
She also had a connection with Blake Anderson, who left soon after she did. (Read his explanation for why he left here.)
Why did Anna leave Love Is Blind?
Anna released an official statement on her Instagram Story about her decision to leave the show. “This will probably be last and only post about LIB,” she wrote, according to Cosmopolitan. “With all of the online attention, daily DMs, hundreds of comments I have to delete daily… this isn’t the attention I wanted by agreeing to participate in the experiment. I tried it, ultimately it didn’t work out for me and that’s okay.”
She continued, “The only thing I cared about was hurting Patrick with how exited the show and I deeply regretted that. Since then him and I have built a friendship that means a lot to me. And that’s all that matters. Although I’m grateful for this experience this was filmed almost 2 years ago and when I left I wanted that chapter to come to a close. Please respect that and give me and my friends and family the privacy we deserve. Much love and remember that we are real people and to be kind ❤️ Thank you for reading ❤️”
Speaking to Tudum, Anna revealed that her parents weighed heavily on her mind throughout filming. As immigrants unfamiliar with reality TV (let alone Love Is Blind), they didn’t fully understand where she was or what she was doing.
“With my parents being immigrants and having a language barrier, I’ve always naturally been their helper,” she explained. “When I told them, ‘Hey, Mom and Dad, I’m going on this show, they’re going to take my phone,’ they were like, ‘Are you being kidnapped?'”
Even after explaining that she wouldn’t be able to communicate with them during the pods, Anna couldn’t shake the worry that her parents were still concerned for her well-being.
With all that on her mind, Anna eventually broke down. “What am I doing here?” she asked herself. The night she decided to leave, she admitted feeling guilty about taking a spot in the pods that could have gone to someone else looking for love.
“I was a wreck. My eyes were almost swollen shut from crying. I was embarrassed,” she admitted.
Producers offered her the chance to speak to Patrick before leaving, but in the emotional chaos — pajamas on, no makeup, no desire for cameras — Anna chose to walk away quietly. That’s why she didn’t tell her matches directly, even though she was remembered for insisting she’s never ghosted anyone before.
In hindsight, Anna says she wishes she’d handled things differently with Patrick, but she also stands by her choice. “I don’t think I regret it because I don’t think the connections were strong enough to have a successful marriage from there,” she said.
Did Anna return to Love Is Blind Season 9?
After Anna’s departure, Patrick got engaged to Kacie, but they ultimately decided not to continue filming after getting engaged inside the pods. Patrick and Kacie’s engagement ended soon after. In Episode 9, Anna and Patrick showed up to the cast meetup and had a conversation about the pods drama.
“If you stayed, we would have went all the way,” Patrick told Anna, who said she felt “really bad” about how everything transpired. “I probably should have given it more of a chance,” she admitted.
Patrick told Swooon that he doesn’t have any bad blood with Anna these days. “She’s apologized a lot and just been like, ‘It was a lot.’ She’s reached out, and we’ve had conversations like via text and stuff like that. She’s been pretty communicative, which I can respect tremendously out of her,” Patrick revealed.
Do you think Patrick and Anna would’ve made it to the altar if she had stayed? Let us know in the comments!
Love Is Blind, Season 9, Episodes 1-9, Streaming Now, Netflix
Love Is Blind, Season 9, Episodes 10-11, October 15, Netflix
Love Is Blind, Season 9, Episode 12, October 22, Netflix
