Ai Bang and Mi Lan landed in the bottom two in episode 7, which aired on the evening of 14/9. The judges decided to eliminate Mi Lan due to a perceived lack of progress. However, Ai Bang unexpectedly announced her decision to withdraw from the competition, ceding her spot to her competitor. This marked the first time in the show's 9 seasons that a contestant quit before the finale.
Ai Bang explained her decision, stating her desire to prioritize her studies. "I want to focus all my energy on completing my academic plan as scheduled. I don't regret stopping because I still plan to pursue modeling in the future," she said.
Ai Bang’s action angered the judges. Creative director Ha Do expressed her belief that Ai Bang disrespected the collective effort of everyone involved over many months. "So many people would love to be in your position. I can't sympathize," she said.
Designer Do Manh Cuong said that Ai Bang should not have joined the competition if she intended to quit midway. After his remarks, he hugged Mi Lan. Host Thanh Hang remained calmer, offering Ai Bang comfort and acknowledging her personal choice.
Executive producer and director Trang Le entered the set to persuade Ai Bang to reconsider, but she stood by her decision to leave.
 |
Ai Bang's photo from the challenge, which the judges didn't highly regard. The 20-year-old, 1.78 m tall contestant from Lam Dong has an angular face. |
In episode 7, the contestants participated in a photoshoot inspired by the Mid-Autumn Festival and the art of lion and dragon dances. They had to pose on tall, unstable floral columns, requiring balance and poise. Contestant My Ngan won the challenge, receiving praise for her posing and presence.
The remaining models will face three more challenges before the top 3 are determined for the final competition, which will take place on 12/10 in Ho Chi Minh City.
The show returned after an eight-year hiatus. From thousands of applications and following casting calls in June, the judges selected the top 15 contestants to enter the shared house. They will participate in various challenges to determine the winner, who will receive a 300 million VND prize. The winner will also have the opportunity to walk at international fashion weeks in the UK, France, and Italy, and appear on the cover of a prestigious fashion magazine.
Vietnam's Next Top Model is adapted from the American show Next Top Model, created by supermodel Tyra Banks. The first season aired in 2010. Over eight seasons, the program has discovered several prominent figures in the fashion industry, including Trang Khieu, Tuyet Lan, Hoang Thuy, Ngoc Chau, Mau Thuy, H’Hen Nie, Huong Ly, Nguyen Hop, Nguyen Oanh, and Kim Dung. After the "all-star" season (featuring notable contestants from previous years) in 2017, the show went on hiatus and recently returned.
Tan Cao
Photos, video: Provided by the producer
