Elderly woman falls short of reaching Miss Universe finale by a minimal difference
An elderly South Korean woman came close to making it to the Miss Universe finals, but missed out in the preliminary round. 81-year-old Choi Soon Hwa managed to progress to the prelims, but lost out to Han Ariel, a 22-year-old fashion student, in the cutthroat competition involving 32 contestants. Han Ariel will now represent South Korea at the main event in November.
The organizers of Miss Universe decided to abolish the strict age limit this year, permitting women aged between 18 and 28 to compete. In South Korea, the traditional swimsuit round was also eliminated. If Choi Soon Hwa had made it to the finals, she would have been the oldest contestant by far.
Choi Soon Hwa, a retired nurse, discovered her passion for modeling at 72, inspired by a delightful patient. She referenced her late-in-life modeling career as "the joy and reward of a second life" in an Instagram post. She made her debut at Seoul Fashion Week in 2018 and since then has collaborated with renowned fashion magazines for photoshoots.
In an interview with CNN before the competition, Choi Soon Hwa expressed her dream of performing on a foreign stage. She had visited Japan as the only other foreign country she had set foot in. She believed that the organizers of Miss Universe Korea would teach the winner everything needed to excel, and she was ready for the challenge. Despite her optimism, Choi Soon Hwa will not be traveling to Mexico for the finals.
Choi Soon Hwa mentioned her desire to perform on a foreign stage, specifically in Japan due to her visit, indicating her interest in international competitions. Despite missing out on the Miss Universe finals, she has previously showcased her modeling skills at Seoul Fashion Week and collaborated with fashion magazines, suggesting that she could potentially represent Mexico in a similar event in the future.
