Can this 80-year-old South Korean model become the next Miss Universe?

The silver-haired trailblazer was announced as a finalist in the Miss Universe Korea pageant earlier in September, capturing global attention.

Born nearly a decade before the inaugural Miss Universe contest in 1952, Soon-hwa is vying to represent South Korea in the 73rd edition of the global competition in Mexico City on November 16.

To earn that opportunity, she must first win the title of Miss Universe Korea on September 30, competing against much younger finalists.

“I want to stun the world, like, ‘How is an 80-year-old lady so healthy?’” Soon-hwa told CNN. “When you get old, you gain weight… So, I want to show that we can live healthily even when we get old,” she added.

If she wins, Soon-hwa will not only represent her country but also become the oldest contestant ever in the history of the international Miss Universe pageant. The current oldest confirmed participant is Beatrice Njoya, a 40-year-old from Malta.

In previous years, the Miss Universe Organisation enforced age restrictions, limiting contestants to those aged 18 to 28. However, the organisation lifted the upper age limit this year, giving Soon-hwa the chance to make history.

“Now that the age restriction has been lifted, I said, ‘I should give it a try’… Whether I get through or not, I was determined to try and get this opportunity,” she said.

Though this is her first beauty pageant, Soon-hwa has been modelling since the age of 72, after a career as a hospital carer. Her runway debut took place at the Seoul Fashion Week in 2018, at the age of 74. Since then, she has been featured in major fashion magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar and Elle.

As a grandmother of three, Soon-hwa will turn 81 in October, and she believes her modelling experience will give her an edge in mastering the runway walk against the 31 other finalists.