During a livestream, Mr. Nawat, chairman of MGI, announced that he would raise the registration fee for the MGI All Stars competition. He said he wanted to filter the contestants. "I don't want this stage to be filled with people who just register for fun, like the contestants from China," he said.
When a fan asked, "With such a high price, you know, there won't even be 20 people participating?", Mr. Nawat replied, "Look at Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes. Why can they sell at such high prices? Because they believe in their own brand."
He added: "It's expensive because of the name. If you're confident in your brand, just charge a high price. If you sell it cheaply, you'll only attract the kind of tourists who come just for fun."
Nawat's statement sparked controversy on beauty forums. Some opinions suggested that Nawat's move was bold, showing that MGI had elevated its status to that of world-class luxury brands. But many others were sarcastic.
Beauty pageant fans have also calculated the cost for a contestant to participate in MGI All Stars. With the registration fee increased to $10,000 (approximately 260 million VND), plus voting fees, evening gown costs, and other expenses, a contestant would need to prepare one million baht (approximately 800 million VND) to participate in MGI All Stars.
Although it costs a considerable amount of money to participate in MGI All Stars, many people believe that the experience at this competition is not worth it, as contestants have to face controversial challenges such as going without makeup and dealing with a judge known for his controversial reputation.
Following Nawat's statements, beauty pageant fans asserted that MGI All Stars is a competition only for wealthy contestants. Nawat himself revealed that the Vietnamese representative, Huong Giang, received over 5 billion VND from fans and sponsors to help her win the voting rounds and achieve the second runner-up title.
Meanwhile, contestants who lacked funding and came from countries less inclined to hold beauty pageants, such as representatives from Ghana and the Czech Republic, expressed their disappointment at being unable to compete in terms of votes with contestants from countries that favor beauty contests.
First runner-up of MGI All Stars 2026, Maria Faith Porter (representing Ghana), attracted attention with her story of not having enough money to hire a makeup team and having to ask her fellow contestants, the beauties from England and Mexico, to touch up her makeup backstage before going on stage during the final night.
Despite lacking funding, Maria Faith Porter still achieved first runner-up. Viewers believe that if a contestant doesn't have money, they must be as outstanding as Maria Faith Porter to achieve a high ranking in MGI All Stars.
On June 6th, Mr. Nawat announced plans to hold a second season of MGI All Stars. The competition will take place in December, just six months after the first season concludes.
Contestants can begin submitting their applications online starting June 6th. This year, the organizers expect to receive approximately 70 contestants from various countries and territories.
Viewers believe that holding two All-Star seasons in the same year diminishes the competition's appeal. The consecutive organization of multiple competitions in a short period of time leads to audience fatigue and raises doubts about the quality of the event planning.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/tang-phi-dang-ky-hoa-hau-hoa-binh-all-stars-post1849864.tpo
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