A Vietnamese beauty who took home third prize in an Asian modeling contest in 2012 has just won a local pageant organized to select Vietnam’s representatives at the world’s three largest beauty pageants, including Miss World.

Tran Ngoc Lan Khue, 23, was named the winner of the “Hoa Khoi Ao Dai Viet Nam 2014 – Duong Toi Vuong Mien Hoa Hau The Gioi” (Vietnam “Ao Dai” Beauty 2014 – Road to Miss World Crown) in its finale on Monday.

Khue, who is a German major at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, claimed the title, a cash award of VND100 million (US$4,707), and the right to compete at Miss World 2015 – the world’s largest beauty pageant.

Contestants perform in bikinis.

The 1.76m young woman bagged third prize alongside the Chinese winner and South Korean runner-up at the Asian Super Model Contest 2012, which took place in September 2012 in China.

Khue, who boasts body measurements of 84-60-88, also won the Vietnam Supermodel 2013.

A contestant is seen performing in her bikini at the January 5, 2015 finale.

Pham Hong Thuy Van, 22, from Ho Chi Minh City, was named the first runner-up, and will represent her country at Miss International 2015 – the world’s third largest pageant.

Van, who stands 1.72 meters tall and has body measurements of 82-60-90, also claimed the pageant’s “Best Physique” auxiliary prize.

She has worked as a freelance model and spent three years studying music.

Finalists are pictured performing in their bikinis during the January 5, 2015 finale.

Nguyen Thi Le Quyen, who hails from the southern province of Bac Lieu, was chosen as the second runner-up and is thus eligible to compete at Miss Supranational 2015 – the world’s fourth largest such competition.

The 22-year-old beauty, who is 1.73 meters tall and measures 80-59-89, is known for capturing an auxiliary prize at the Vietnam Supermodel 2013.

Pham Hong Thuy Van is pictured receiving the “Best Physique” title.

The Monday finale of the “Hoa Khoi Ao Dai Viet Nam 2014” competition saw the presence of Miss World 2011 Ivian Sarcos as a guest juror.

A finalist with her "Most Confident Contestant” title at the January 5, 2015 finale

Sarcos, who is the sixth woman from Venezuela to claim the most-coveted Miss World title, also crowned Khue – the Vietnamese winner – on the final night. The beauty won the Miss Venezuela title in October 2010 before being crowned at Miss World in 2011. 

A contestant is pictured speaking during the Question and Answer session at the January 5, 2015 finale.

The “Hoa Khoi Ao Dai Viet Nam 2014” pageant was held for the first time in Vietnam to select the country’s representatives for three of the world’s most prestigious beauty contests – Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Supranational. 

The pageant also boasted the country’s highest total prizes among professional beauty contests, according to its website.

Question and Answer part

It is the first-ever Vietnamese reality TV show aimed at finding and training national representatives to compete in international beauty contests.

The contest started in late September with the qualifying round beginning on September 20 in Hanoi and September 21 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Eighteen applicants were picked from the qualifying round to enter the “Lau Dai Sac Dep” (Beauty Castle) stage, where they were taught necessary skills to become a professional model, including makeup, getting in shape, and international code of conduct, for two months.  

Coronation

According to the organizer, a camera system in the building was active 24/7, watching over all activities and reactions of the contestants to bring the audience a close-up view of their training process.

The 75-episode program was broadcast daily on national broadcaster Vietnam Television’s channel VTV6 at 7:55 pm, starting September 29 with a prelude to the main episodes.

The program was co-produced by national broadcaster VTV, Miss World Organization, Ho Chi Minh City-based BHD Co. Ltd., and Elite Vietnam – a local model management company.

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