On November 16, the Miss Universe competition will elect the most beautiful woman on the planet. But before that, each country will have to choose its representative.
In South Korea, an intriguing participant. Choi Soon-hwa dreams of being crowned Miss Universe. She is charismatic, her journey is inspiring but… She is 80 years old! Despite this age barrier, this atypical candidate will give everything to be elected Miss Universe.
Become Miss Universe at 80
The Miss Universe competition was created in 1952, nine years after the birth of Choi Soon-hwa. At 80 years old, this woman is currently in the running to represent South Korea in the beauty pageant which will take place on November 16. In Mexico, where the ceremony will be held, Choi Soon-hwa hopes to be crowned Miss Universe but first she will have to face to 31 other South Korean candidates.
“I want to impress people, and make them wonder: “How can an 80 year old woman be in such good health? How did she manage to keep this body? What is his diet like?”Choi Soon-hwa said in an interview on CNN. “I want to show that we can live healthy even when we get older. […] It’s important to be beautiful on the outside, but you also need to to be at ease in one’s mind and know how to respect others”she added.
Choi Soon-hwa’s inspiring journey
Choi Soon-hwa didn’t have an easy childhood. She was born in 1943, in South Korea occupied by Japan. All his life, she will have to face money worries and was unable to enjoy his retirement peacefully. After becoming a caregiver late in life, Choi Soon-hwa embarked on a modeling career at the age of 72. “One of my patients advised me to try my luck. I thought it was absurd, but at the same time, this awakened my old dream of becoming a modelwear pretty clothes and do photo shoots. So, I said yes!”she confides.
After training as best she could, Choi Soon-hwa paraded for the first time during Seoul Fashion Week. At 74 years old, she has seduced the public and many media have taken an interest in her. She obtained both great notoriety but also very lucrative advertising contracts. His next goal is to win the title of Miss Universe as a representative of South Korea.
A more inclusive competition?
Agence France-Presse (AFP) collected the testimony of Choi Soon-hwa in 2019: “When I was a single mother, I wore the same clothes for 20 years“. The octogenarian also explains that she found herself alone with two children because her husband had abandoned her. A very difficult situation that she managed to overcome through perseverance.
Her participation in Miss Universe would therefore be a real revenge against life. The competition criteria used to be much narrower than today. Reserved for women aged 18 to 28 for many years, the competition has opened up and become more inclusive, allowing older women to participate. Likewise, mothers and short-haired Misses can today dream of winning the most prestigious beauty contest. Indira Ampiot will represent France next November.
