‘I won the second half of my life’: Age no barrier at 81 for this South Korean fashion model

With her silver hair perfectly coiffed in a long pixie cut, Choi Soon-hwa cuts a stylish figure in a cobalt blue pantsuit as she strides confidently for the camera, sashaying to strike a pose like she has countless times at the end of a runway. Choi recently made history at age 80 by becoming the oldest contestant at a Miss Universe Korea competition, after the pageant dropped age restrictions this year that had only allowed women aged 18 to 28 participate. "After hearing that the age restrictions were removed I thought - wow that’s great. I cannot miss this opportunity," Choi said, who turns 81 this month. While she may not have won, Choi made it to the finals and was awarded “Best Dressed”, beating other contestants a quarter her age. Choi had dreamed of becoming a fashion model or a movie star when she was in her 20s, but faced with life’s pressures, it would be a few more decades before her wish came true. With children to care for as a single mother and financial commitments to be fulfilled, dreams were put aside so she could take on regular jobs. Miss Universe PH Chelsea Manalo gets ‘confidence boost’ in send-off While working as a hospital caregiver, one of her patients suggested that she apply to be a senior model when she was 72. Choi recounts how she would practice the catwalk and pose in front of a mirror when it was quiet at night in the hospital. Two years later, she made her debut on the runway at Seoul Fashion Week. "I was over 70 years old and my body was much stiffer than before, so I tried really hard to be as fit as a model." Since then, Choi's new career has taken off. She has appeared at multiple fashion shows, her image splashed all over magazines and her story covered by television shows. "I won in the second half of my life. In the first half, I was just running around without scoring any goals, but I finally scored in the second half," she told Reuters. WATCH: Chelsea Manalo's Miss Universe teaser on ABS-CBN Yun Mi-young, 59, who is another senior model, said she was inspired by Choi. "The first time I saw her was on TV, she looked so cool. I thought that I want to be a senior model just like her." Choi also shares tips on how to stay young and feel good, including starting each day with a healthy breakfast of boiled eggs and fruit and regularly taking walks at a nearby park. South Korea is on course to become a "super-ageing" society by next year when more than a fifth of its population will be over 65 and Choi wants her success to inspire others in this age group. "I hope other seniors can find courage through my story," Choi said. Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo grateful after 'emotional' homecoming in Bulacan (Production: Daewoung Kim, Minwoo Park, Hyunyoung Yi) Subscribe to the ABS-CBN News channel! - http://bit.ly/TheABSCBNNews Watch full episodes on iWantTFC for FREE here: http://iwanttfc.com Visit our website at http://news.abs-cbn.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abscbnNEWS Twitter: https://twitter.com/abscbnnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abscbnnews