BOSOMS shrank when contestants were banned from using “nude bras” to boost their assets during the finals of the Miss Asia Pageant in Hong Kong on Sunday.
As a result, expectations were overturned and hot favourite, Wang Xi Yao, came in second. Instead, dark horse Xu Ying was crowned Miss Asia, reported Apple Daily.
Miss Xu, a social dance instructor and one of the more low-profile contestants, won HK$1,780,000 ($360,000) worth of diamonds.
Nude bras – silicon bra cups worn without the use of any straps – were commonly used by many of the contestants.
In fact, contestants were previously encouraged to enhance their cleavages, but they risk being subjected to close scrutiny on national television.
During the semi-finals on 24 Oct, three of the most well-endowed contestants – Miss Mo Xiao Fei, Miss Wang Xi Yao and Miss Lin Zhi Jun – were chosen for a so-called “breast screen test” during one of the pageant segments.
The contestants had to stand behind a board which was cut to show only the girls’ chests, stated a previous report.
With just their bosoms on display, the contestants were critiqued by one of the judges.
Backlash
In another segment, another three contestants were asked to “twist and turn” to show off their waists.
However, the TV cameras zoomed in only on the contestants’ lower body rather than focusing on their waists.
The risque nature of the semi-finals, which aired during the “family viewing” prime-time slot, resulted in a backlash from TV viewers and netizens.
The organisers then decided to cut similar segments from the finals.
The most suggestive segment during the finals was the opening dance sequence where contestants were dressed in semi-translucent “angel” costumes.
However, despite donning skimpy gold bikinis during the swimwear segment, the contestants failed to raise eyebrows.
Not being allowed to use nude bras resulted in the shrinkage of all the contestants’ bosoms.
But one of the judges, Ms Zhou Xiu Na, who handed out the award for Most Perfect Body, said: “There is no denying that it is now the latest fashion to use nude bras. I use them as well, why shouldn’t everyone use them?”
This article was first published in The New Paper.
