Miss World Korea 2015 was the first beauty pageant she had participated in. Although she could not win the crown back then, Jenny Kim made up for it by winning the title of Miss Supranational in the year 2017. Here are edited excerpts from an interview with the beauty queen from South Korea.
How does it feel to be the first woman from Korea to win the title of Miss Supranational?
It’s a great honour to have won the first Miss Supranational title for Korea. I definitely also see it as a big responsibility as I am representing my whole country. As I travel around the world, it is a great way to share my culture and experience new cultures, since we are living in a multi-cultural world. I do not only want to promote Korea but also show that Miss Supranational is a strong, warm-hearted, understanding woman.
You have won a bunch of other titles as well. When did the thought of participating in a pageant first come to you?
When I was in high school, one of my teachers suggested that I join Miss Korea. I thought it was a great platform for me to be an influential person. I always wanted to help others and that is why I wanted to be a teacher. As a beauty queen, you also get a platform with which you can change the world.
What is the kind of training you put yourself through before competing in your first beauty pageant?
Before Miss Supranational, I was trained for three years in Korea. The specific training that I did included catwalk, physical fitness, speech training, styling, makeup and accessories. I did not know much about this industry before this, so the skills I have learned are skills that women can use to express herself. It helped me develop my self-confidence and self-esteem, so I am very grateful that this opportunity came to me.
In the last two decades, India has hosted several beauty pageants. How do you think this space has evolved in India over the years?
The Miss India Organization has redefined their system to empower women in many different fields. The young women that compete are taught new skills that can help build successful careers. At the same time, they can bring change to India and the world. It’s a quality that every beauty pageant should have and I have the highest respect for that.
There are two groups of people who an opinion about beauty contests, one – who thinks it is derogatory to women and the other group feels it empowers them. What are your thoughts on it?
I don’t see any negativity in beauty pageants. If I think about all the wonderful opportunities I have received and the way it changed my life, I would highly recommend young women to compete in beauty pageant. It has taught me to be a strong, mature woman who knows she can achieve anything without fear or self-doubt.
Would you like to a Bollywood film some day?
Oh my gosh! It would be a dream come true. I would love to work in Bollywood because it is famous around the world. I love the fashion, music, and choreography in every Bollywood film. So if an opportunity came up, I would not even have to think twice about it.
What are you doing next?
After I pass on my crown to the new Miss Supranational, I would like to finish my degree and at the same time, I would love to do modelling in Korea. Even after I complete the reign, there is a whole new beginning waiting for me and I will always be a proud ambassador of the Miss Supranational Organization.