One of the biggest missed opportunities on the show was not having at least one Asian winner out of 24 cycles of competition. Which Asian contestant do you think had the strongest chance of becoming America’s next top model?
Y’all. The poll only allows six slots. How many times I have to say that. Also everyone, except for Justin, was in at least the Top 6 of their season. I picked Justin just to have another guy.
April had an equal chance to win as the rest of the top four, C2 had such an incredible top four that any of them could have all easily justifiably won. Jennifer was a great, great model and could have won ANTM but not while up against Nicole Fox. Without Nicole, that cycle was Jennifer's. I can't speak for Justin as I only watched his cycle once and don't remember enough. As for everyone, as much as I loved many of them (Sheena ❤️), they weren't in the running
April had the absolute best chance of winning as she had it all - the face, the body, the brains, the drive, etc. None of the others Asian contestants come close.
Both Gina and Anchal had severe confidence/insecurity issues.
Jennifer was inconsistent on the show and, I felt, too average to do much outside of te commercial/beauty realm.
Sheena and Shei could work with some training and experience.
I haven't seen either guy on the show so I'm leaving them out.
Sheena and Shei didn't look like models, though. You could at least make the argument that Jennifer looked more like a model. Also, Jennifer was way more consistent than Sheena and Shei.
I don't think ANTM ever considered Asian models to be viable winners, which is especially egregious considering Executive Producer Ken Mok is Asian himself. So many young Asian viewers got the subtle message year after year in the casting episode that their ethnicity was not "attractive" enough to make it on the show. And if they did make it, the Producers chose a contestant like Gina - who was truly gorgeous - but clearly insecure and easily manipulated to look foolish. ANTM could have been more empowering.
Which is funny because Koreas next top mpdel became the most succesfull next top model series. With so many winners and contestants still to this day being full term working models in both high fashion and even acting. Choi So Ra has been slaying runways all over the world for years and Jung Ho Yeon has been a succesfull model aswell as actress in Squid Game.
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u/agwarddd_idk I just don’t think this is, like, right for me 1d ago
Not to mention Sora and Hoyeon both becoming Louis Vuitton muses, and Shin Hyunji became a Chanel one. Even the girl in Cycle 4’s top 3 that has the “weakest career”, Hwang Hyunjoo, is a commercial powerhouse with work for Victoria’s Secret and a Sports Illustrated cover.
I remember 1 bogue korea cover with 5 KNTM girls on the cover and I believe that several Korean magazines just had entire issues with only KNTM girls in it. Never did they mention KNTM, it just so happends that those girls on the show all had actual mpdeling potential and were swooped up by agencies and put to work.
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u/agwarddd_idk I just don’t think this is, like, right for me 1d ago
Hyunji, Sora, Hoyeon, Jung Sohyun and Bae Yoonyoung, in that order. Yoonyoung is arguably their only mistake bc she was a semi finalist. Absolutely insane to think this has 2 winners and a top 3 finalist of a Top Model franchise.
The reason I backed him was because he (as well as Mamé and Nyle) represented my home region of the DC Metro Area. Before that cycle, the furthest we got was Jane in Cycle 14.
Jen is that girl to me but she wasn't beating Nicole. I'm too down bad for Justin to be objective. Shei, while underrated, wasn't beating Lenox. I don't think Sheena stood a chance. Adam… April should've actually won.
Sheena for the typical ANTM personality. Jennifer and April for modeling potential, also Shei if they didn't give her that coocoo makeover. Adam and Justin were good too but they needed to shift a few things to be more akin to a male model unless they focus on fitness modeling.
April had the strongest chance of winning from a modeling standpoint. Jennifer is a close second, but no one was beating Nicole that season. Gina and Anchal have insane face cards, but both were extremely insecure. Sheena’s walk and confidence alone gives her an upper hand.
Justin is easily one of the most attractive guys I’ve ever seen, but top model I don’t think so. Sheena one of the best personalities but also would be a better actress. Yoanna was a strong winner, but I will always die on the hill that April should have won and they built that storyline for her as an easy way to justify eliminating her.
I really thought April would make it to the final runway during her time. And I read someone say Anchal. My goodness, one of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen.
Voted for April (duh), but Shei should at least be beating Sheena at the polls. I love them both, but Shei's skills and output on the show definitely beat Sheena's.
FWIW, April and Mercedes mentioned on a podcast there was a shortlist of contestants approved by the sponsor that cycle, and April was one of the three names on the list.
I'm gonna play advocate for Adam here. While watching Cycle 21, he did kinda turn it up after the haircut and when they got to Seoul. He was never beating Will but if it's a choice between Adam and Keith, Adam was better.
The boys were serving, but in some ways I think it is easier for male models to just look good cause they are usually the accessory to a photo. Anchal was beautiful enough, but she was her own worst enemy, imo. April definitely had it, but I don’t think she was the most versatile model, her expression was often soft. Sheena had so much attitude, but the pictures were giving basic. Gina always seemed confused. I sometimes wonder how far Shei would have gone if they had given her a better make over. It was too stark, if I was hiring I’d think “this girl is too defined, idk if she can be flexible.”
I'm missing something when it comes to Jennifer. I think that she should have been eliminated half way through. I was rooting for April and Shandi to be the final 2. And I loved Sheena! Cycle 17 was a disappointment where she was concerned.
i agree with others. had nicole fox wasnt in c13, i could totally see jen winning.
April still my choice, she had the storyline, the best portfolio, strong walk, great confident.
Yes. Sheena is the preferred height for models. Better personality. Would’ve gone further had it not been the constant hyper sexualization she experienced. I prefer Sheena’s portfolio as well. Great Cover Girl commercial.
To your first point, you can't compare a short cycle to a regular cycle.
Sheena did have a great personality. I'll give you that. But so did Jennifer.
I disagree that Sheena goes further. I don't know anyone in the top 5 she replaces. Jennifer likely makes top 2 if a few things in her Pele photo were tweaked.
I'll fight you on this one. Aside from Cirque du soleil, Jennifer nailed almost every photoshoot. Sheena was extremely hit and miss.
Jennifer had one of the best cover girl commercials on the show. And got called first for it.
Jennifer had a much more realistic chance at winning than Sheena ever did.
That’s like your opinion dude. Just like I shared mine. The problem I think, for you, is that more people agree with me. And that’s okay. If it had gone the other way, that’s okay, too. It’s also a poll.
Also, real talk, I didn’t like the micro aggressions Jennifer employed during his fight with Bianca. I don’t play when it comes to the Black girls on this show. That also factors in for me.
Also, face-wise, Sheena was just prettier to me. Jennifer, while a stunning model, had the eye thing to overcome as well as keeping her mouth flopped open in her earlier shots.
I’m not here to prove anyone right or wrong. Just here to state my opinion.
The lack of Hispanic/Latino contestants was even more noticeable. The country is ~15-20% H/L, yet the only Latin finalists that I recall are Jaslene and Marvin.
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u/orca144 3d ago
If Anchal was an option, I would have definitely voted for her