80-year-old a finalist at Miss Universe Korea pageant

Choi Soon Hwa was born almost a decade before the first Miss Universe contest was held in 1952.

She now stands a chance to represent South Korea at the Miss Universe final in Mexico in November.

The national finals, held on Sep. 30, will have Choi competing with 31 other finalists for the Miss Universe Korea 2024 crown.

If the 80-year-old takes the title and advances to Mexico, Choi is set to be the oldest-ever participant in the Miss Universe pageant.

She is more than twice the age of the current oldest finalist on the international stage, 40-year-old Beatrice Njoya of Malta, though not all countries have selected their entrant yet.

In an interview with CNN, Choi said, "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 also said that beauty goes beyond the appearance but also one has to be "at ease in your mind" and be a positive thinker.

Age restrictions lifted for Miss Universe

Choi, who was born during World War II and endured the hardships of the Korean War, said she always dreamed of becoming a fashion model.

At 72, Choi went into debt after falling for a con, leading to her restarting her career as a freelance care nurse.

She told CNN and The Washington Times that a patient suggested she try modelling, which "ignited" a spark in her that she had forgotten about.

The 80-year-old has since appeared in the Korean editions of magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, and will soon be making her Seoul Fashion Week debut in 2025.

This year, the Miss Universe Organisation lifted the age restriction for contestants, allowing adult women of all ages to compete in their pageants.

Prior to this, only women aged between 18 and 28 were eligible for the contest.

Women who are either single, married, divorced, or with children are now also allowed to participate.

Miss Universe Korea is the official preliminary to Miss Universe.

The finalist crowned Miss Universe Korea will represent South Korea on the international stage in the Miss Universe competition.

First-ever married transgender finalist makes debut at MUS

Singapore has also made its own 'firsts' in this year's pageant, with the first-ever married transgender finalist making her debut at the Miss Universe Singapore (MUS) 2024.

Qatrisha Zairyah, 33, was one of 15 women who advanced to the finals.

The crown eventually went to 26-year-old public relations account executive, Charlotte Chia on Sep. 22, as announced on the event's Instagram.

Top image via @soonhwa01/Instagram