To defy the belief that Asians are small Tu (center) and Cindy (far right) are the tallest in the Asia's Next Top Model competition at 1.78 m (5'10'') - (Asia's Next Top Model screen shot photo)

Their cat claws came out which led twins Valerie (left) and Veronica (right) to be eliminated from the Asia's Next Top Model competition. Tu (center) remains of the Top 5 competitors - (Asia's Next Top Model screen shot photo)

Video Beat - ASIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL FINAL 5 - A STUDY IN ASIAN TOP MODEL HUMAN BEHAVIOR

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Only five girls remain in the effort to be named Asia's next Top Model. The back story is there appears to be a war against the Philippines from our study of top model HUMAN BEHAVIOR - For those that failed to see the series you can play catch up by viewing all 9 episodes THUS FAR on You Tube

Wednesday, June 07, 2017

ASIAN MODELS WAR AGAINST THE PHILIPPINES?

This season's cast in Asia's Next Top Model is the most interesting in the series five year history. The majority of them have personalities that are more relatable to a western viewer. Much of the interest stems from this group as having the best English language skills of all of the contestants during the series five season run.

What jumps out this season is the apparent western attitude influence. When the season began all of the contestants were on their good behavior and acting nice, nice. As the season progressed female claws came out and conflicts began in episode 5 when one of the twins Veronica, from Indonesia decided to switch from staying in the good girls room and move into the bad girls room.

The outcome being that Veronica was acting as a spy and snitch. She revealed in the following episode that one of the girls 18-year-old Nametha, from Singapore, broke the rules by texting that resulted in her being disqualified.

This result stimulated Internet speculation that Nametha was a lesbian and the series started to show shades of the American version. The difference being the American version promotes gay pride. The Asian series avoided making an issue of the speculation, social media did.

It turned out there was a revenge factor in Veronica's spy activity. It was revealed that there was some dissension between the good girls and the bad girl's rooms. As Veronica's twin Valerie said, "You don't mess around with the twins."

In episode 7 Valerie was eliminated. The following week Veronica was eliminated as her performance suffered and she was sulking from the loss of her sister.

Only five of the 14 contestants remain with the second youngest, 19-year-old Cindy from Taiwan, being on the bubble from elimination. She has been accused of lacking confidence and depends on help from her more experienced fellow models. She has turned in some top performances having had the best scores in two of the 9 episodes.

Cindy is the sweeCindy is the sweetest of the group and is kind to her fellow models. She is sensitive but responds to direction. The mentor and host of the show Cindy Bishop requested that Tu from Vietnam stop helping Cindy and noted that she needs to develop on her own.

An interesting twist to this is that Tu and Cindy are the tallest in the competition at 1.78 m (5'10''). Cindy was saved from elimination last week thus making this week's episode 10 most interesting.

From the beginning what makes this program fascinating is observing human behavior and how girls from different countries can get along. There is blatant racism in Asia with some countries thinking they are better than others.

The competition began with 14 models, three from Indonesia and the Philippines, two from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, and one each from Taiwan and Vietnam. The five girls remaining represent each country with the exception of Thailand and Singapore.

From my experience, of those countries Thailand and Singapore give the impression that they are better than the others. Of the countries that remain the Philippines and Indonesia are the most looked down upon due to their poverty.

This disrespect is being played out on the series as Maureen Wroblewitz 18, who is the youngest ion the competition and from the Philippines has been criticized by the all of the other remaining models except Cindy. She is the youngest competitor in the competition.

The three models representing Malaysia, Vietnam and ironically Indonesia feel that she shouldn't be in the contest. They accuse her of not having modeling talent but is getting by because she has a pretty face. Wroblewitz is also the shortest of the five remaining contestants being only 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) tall. Clara Tan from Indonesia has been the most vocal critic.

The drama has been intensified as Tu moved out from the good girl's room to the bad girl's room leaving Cindy and Maureen as being the only two remaining in the good girl's room. Tu has turned her back on her one time friend Cindy.

The intensify the situation Cindy is expected to be eliminated on this weeks episode leaving Maureen the only girl left in the good girls room thrusting her to be in a situation of facing three of her detractors against her that remain in the competition.

The major twist is that she has improved throughout the competition having had the top score in two of the nine results and is receiving praise from the judges for her work ethic and improvement.

Tu has also had the best result in two of the competitions. She and Shikin from Malaysia are depicted as having the most experience of the group. Shikin has only had the best score of the week once.

The most vocal of her enemies, Clara from Indonesia, has never had the best score of the week. She is the instigator and most vocal in the apparent WAR AGAINST MAUREEN. Over the course of the competition she has had the most emotional experiences having cried on several occasions.

The judges have accused her as being an immature cry baby. We assess her as being the fly in the ointment, the sand in the Vaseline, the wolf in sheep's clothing or the devil in disguise.

For those interested in human behavior, modeling or pretty girls this is a must watch. The series airs in Southeast Asia on the Star World channel. For those that can't receive the channel or failed to see the series you can play catch up by viewing all episodes THUS FAR on You Tube.

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