An 80-year-old model from South Korea made history by becoming the oldest contestant in the Miss Universe Korea pageant. With her striking white hair and vibrant spirit, Choi Soon-hwa stood out among the much younger participants, demonstrating that age was merely a number.
Choi was born in 1943, nearly ten years before the inaugural Miss Universe pageant in 1952. She would make history if she wins and goes on to represent South Korea at the Miss Universe final in Mexico this November. She will fight for the crown with 31 contestants on Monday.
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Choi’s participation in Miss Universe comes after the organising committee lifted the upper age limit for participants, which was earlier capped at 28. During her participation in the event, she said she wanted to surprise the world with how she was so fit and healthy at this age. "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?,” news outlet CNN reported her as saying.
"Now that the age restriction has been lifted, I said, 'I should give it a try,” she added.
Choi's late entry into the world of pageantry comes after a successful modelling career. In her 50s, she encountered financial hardships, which compelled her to work at a hospital. It was at the age of 72, inspired by a patient, that she decided to return to modelling.
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She began training and made her runway debut at Seoul Fashion Week at 74. Since then, Choi has graced the pages of esteemed magazines such as Harper's Bazaar and Elle. Besides, she featured in commercials for several well-known South Korean brands.