Beauty queen and supermodels fight for position on TV show

(From L) Vu Thu Phuong, Anh Thu, Minh Trieu, Ky Duyen, four coaches of "The Face Vietnam 2023." Photo from The Face Vietnam’s Facebook

In the first episode of "The Face Vietnam 2023", which aired Sunday, the organizers announced that standing positions of the four coaches in the show’s opening sequence would be determined with a draw to ensure fairness.

Having agreed with the rule, Trieu and Duyen later insisted on standing next to each other and not being separated.

The argument reached a climax when Trieu announced she would quit shooting, which Phuong said was unprofessional. Thu agreed, adding that Trieu and Duyen were disrespectful and selfish.

"It is 4 a.m., and the crew has worked for almost 24 hours," Thu said. "Now everyone has to stand there waiting for this small matter to be solved."

Phuong then asked Trieu to show her respect, as Trieu can be considered one of Phuong’s students, as she learned how to catwalk from her when she started her modelling career.

Trieu and Duyen responded, saying they were not fighting for better positions, but just thought it was unnecessary for them to be separated in the opening sequence.

"A show’s opening is very important, as it will be repeated in each episode," said Trieu. "Duyen and I want to stand together, so those who don’t regularly watch the show will know we are a team."

Duyen added that Thu and Phuong might have misunderstood her and Trieu’s intention as breaking the rules and not being satisfied with their appointed standing positions.

"I’m a straightforward person, so if I’m not comfortable with something, I will say so," she said.

"The Face" is a reality television modeling competition, created by Nigel Barker, a previous judge on "America's Next Top Model."

Contestants, aged 16 and over, are divided into three teams, each of which is led by a judge who is a top model.

In 2016, the first season of "The Face Vietnam" premiered.