By Lee Min-young
Hazel De Leon won the EDGC grand prize at the 2020 Asia Model Festival "FACE of Philippines with EDGC" on Thursday (local time) at the Shangri La Hotel in Manila.
There were 19 contestants in the running for the grand prize. The first runner-up was Christian Pauco, the second runners-up were Regine Bulac and Paul Etruiste and the third runners-up Beulah Gatdula and Nico Tolentino. However, only three ― De Leon, Pauco and Bulac ― will compete in the FACE of Asia finals slated for June 2020 in Seoul.
The judges included EDGC Marketing Director Ahn Seung-ki, GTG Wellness President Kim Tai-hyun, Exyai designer Kim Hak-seon and modeling agency Art Personas creative director and Chief Operating Officer Rene Dominguez.
"I hope that Korea and the Philippines can further expand cultural exchanges, especially in terms of fashion and beauty through the FACE of the Philippines and FACE of Asia fashion show to be held later in Seoul," Asia Model Festival Organizing Committee (AMFOC) Chairman Yang Eui-sig said during a welcoming speech.
FACE of ASIA, the largest model-hunt platform in Asia, is part of the 15th Asia Model Festival scheduled for June 2020 in Seoul.
Twenty-five Asian countries ― Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macau, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Taiwan ― will compete.
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| A big crowd attends the 2020 Asia Model Festival FACE of Philippines with EDGC on Thursday (local time) at the Shangri La Hotel in Manila. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
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| Asia Model Festival Organizing Committee (AMFOC) chairman Yang Eui-sig gives a welcoming speech. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
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| EDGC CEO Shin Sang-chul and 2nd Regine Bulac. Photo by Kim Kang-min |
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| Contestants are introduced before the runway show. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
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| Grand prize winner Hazel De Leon is on the runway for fashion brand Faith & Fearless. Photo by Kim Kang-min |
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| AMFOC chairman Yang Eui-sig, grand prize winner Hazel De Leon and Art Personas chief Ronnie Cruz. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
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| The top six are, from left, Paul Etruiste, Regine Bulac, Hazel De Leon, Christian Pauco, Beulah Gatdula and Nico Tolentino. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
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