Miss Korea Aims for Better Title: Career Woman

By Reuben Staines
Staff Reporters


Miss World finalist Oh Eun-young doesn’t fit the stereotype of a beauty queen.

While other women competing in the international beauty pageant held in China earlier this month delighted the judges with dances, songs or instrumental performances, Oh showed them her taekwondo moves.

And while other contestant saw the competition as an opportunity to launch careers in the modeling or entertainment industries, the 20-year-old design student is determined not to follow that well-worn path.

``I don’t have the talent needed to make it in show business,’’ Oh told Sports Hankook, sister paper of The Korea Times. ``My dream is to become a successful career woman. Miss Korea is just one of the titles I can put in front of my name.’’

Oh, who is in her second year at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said her goal is to work as a fashion designer. ``I want to make very practical, elegant clothes.’’

Oh has always been interested in art and has won several competitions for designing corporate logos. After graduating, she hopes to go abroad for further study and, like many South Korean students, is working hard to improve her English-language test score.
Oh earned the right to compete in Miss World by placing as first runner up at the Miss Korea competition in July.
Miss Korea is co-organized by the Hankook Ilbo, also sister paper of The Korea Times. Winners and runners up from the competition are chosen to represent South Korea in various international pageants, including Miss World and Miss Universe.
Oh reached the last six in the grand final of the Miss World pageant, which was held at the Sheraton Sanya Resort in Yalong Bay on Dec. 10.

She also won the regional award as Miss Asia-Pacific and placed top in the ``Beauty With a Purpose’’ category, recognizing her volunteer work looking after needy children and the aged.
Oh believed the exposure she got through competing in the pageant will help her launch her fashion design career.
``I think competing in Miss World is not just a way to make a break in the entertainment industry,’’ she said. ``It’s also a great for opportunity for me to show people who I am.’’
She hopes that in the future she will be recognized for more than just her good looks. ``It would be great if people want to interview me again when I become a successful clothes designer,’’ Oh concluded.

koreatimes.co.kr