나이 80세에 미스 유니버스 코리아 도전

[프란치스코]

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80세에 미스 유니버스 코리아 도전

Born almost a decade before the first Miss Universe contest was held in 1952, 80-year-old Choi Soon-hwa could now make history as the pageant’s oldest ever participant.

Earlier this month, she was unveiled as a finalist in the annual Miss Universe Korea competition. On Monday, Choi will go head-to-head with 31 other contestants for the tiara — and a chance to represent South Korea at the Miss Universe final in Mexico this November.

“I want to stun the world, like, ‘How is an 80-year-old lady so healthy? How did she maintain that body? What’s your diet?’” she told CNN on the phone ahead of the pageant. “When you get old, you gain weight… So, I want to show that we can live healthily even when we get old.”

(기사 전문)
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/28/style/miss-universe-korea-choi-soon-hwa-hnk-intl/index.html

Meet the 80-year-old Miss Universe Korea contestant proving age is just a number | CNN

For decades, the Miss Universe Organization enforced strict age restrictions limiting participation to women aged 18 to 28. But from 2024, amid growing calls to modernize, the upper age limit has been lifted. Last year, the organization also updated eligibility criteria to remove a longstanding ban on pregnant women or mothers, and women who were — or ever had been — married.

Evolving world of pageantry
Organizers of Miss Universe Korea announced this year’s competition by claiming in promotional materials that “age doesn’t matter when it comes to dreaming.” They also removed its swimsuit segment.

Late career change
While Monday’s contest marks Choi’s pageant debut, she has already made a name for herself in the Korean fashion world. After leaving retirement amid financial difficulties to work as a hospital carer in her 50s, Choi began modeling aged 72 to help pay off debts.

Choi took weekly classes at a modeling academy, practicing her runway walks down the hospital hallways during shifts. She signed to her teacher’s agency in 2017 before making her Seoul Fashion Week debut, aged 74, the next year. She has since appeared in the Korean editions of magazines including Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, as well shooting commercial campaigns for brands including the popular South Korean beer, Cass.

“Becoming a model was like opening a door to a new path for me, so I planned in my mind. I said, ‘I will be successful and work hard’… When my dream came true, I thanked God and kept working hard. It’s so fun and I love it.”

More opportunities
With a rapidly declining birth rate, South Korea is among the world’s fastest-aging countries. Earlier this year, the number of South Koreans aged 65 or above exceeded 10 million for the first time, representing almost 20% of the population. This figure is predicted to rise to 36.7% — higher than any other country — by 2044, according to government forecasts.

Choi believes her modeling experience will prove useful in the pageant world: “Walking a runway is a collaboration of shoulders, knees and hips. All the Miss Universe contestants are really good at walking like models. Some are even better than actual models.”

The grandmother of three, who turns 81 next month, told CNN that she is excited by the prospect of representing her country overseas: “I always dreamed of going on stage abroad, so my mindset is prepared. Japan is the only other country I’ve been to, and I believe (pageant organizers) would teach the winner everything, so I’m ready!”

She has the support, too, of her children and grandchildren. “They say they’re really proud of me like, ‘My granny is amazing!’… My son said he’s proud of me, and to enjoy it regardless of the outcome.” (CNN)