The U.S.-based Miss Global Organization LLC (MGO) has sued a Vietnamese beauty pageant company for non-compliance with their agreement regarding the organization of Miss Global 2023, following the latter’s lawsuit against the current contest organizer for alleged copyright infringement.

LENOM Co. Ltd, which possessed a license previously granted by MGO for hosting the Miss Global beauty pageants during the 2023-28 period, has breached significant obligations and has been unwilling to cooperate with MGO as per a contract signed between the two parties, Van Pham, general director and founder of MGO, stated in a press release on Tuesday morning.

MGO thus formally declared the termination of its agreement with LENOM and the revocation of the license for LENOM to host the Miss Global contests during 2023-28 in Vietnam in August 2023.

Following the revocation of the license, MGO granted another license to First Face Co. Ltd. on October 16, 2023 for collaboration in organizing the semifinals of the Miss Global 2023 contest, Pham added.

MK Productions Co. serves as the organizer of the contest.

Additionally, the organization is taking legal proceedings against LENOM.

Pham issued Tuesday’s statements in response to a representative from LENOM, who declared on Monday that the company, based in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, had initiated legal proceedings against First Face.

The lawsuit, brought to the People’s Court of District 5 in the same city, where First Face is located, alleges copyright infringement.

LENOM stated its attempts to communicate with MGO have gone unanswered, and efforts to contact First Face and MK Productions through various means have yielded no response.

LENOM thus sought a cessation of violations related to the organization of the Miss Global beauty pageant, removal of all social media posts containing the contest-related information, and the publication of a public apology from First Face as well as corrections in newspapers.

On October 6, 2022, LENOM received approval from the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City to organize the Miss Global contest in 2023; however, the company has faced challenges in executing the plan.

Amid the controversy, the semifinals of Miss Global 2023 have been ongoing since January 3 under the organization of First Face and MK Productions. 

The semifinal gala is scheduled to take place in Phu Quoc Island City off the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on January 13, as per approval from the provincial Department of Culture and Sports, which fully reviewed relevant documents submitted by First Face.

The grand finale is slated for January 18 in Cambodia.

Doan Thu Thuy, 28, who is holding the title of Miss Sports Vietnam 2022, is representing Vietnam in the Miss Global 2023 competition.

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