Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
The 34-year-old representative from Vietnam won the Stars World Famous Award alongside Alexia Nunez of the Philippines and Francia Cortez of Mexico.
A star-studded opening in Bangkok
Welcome All The Stars to Bangkok served as the official launch event for the inaugural season of MGI All Stars - a special edition of Miss Grand International designed to gather contestants who previously achieved notable success at international beauty pageants.
The opening night featured 58 contestants from 38 countries and territories.
Participants represented a wide range of prestigious competitions, including Miss Grand International, Miss Universe, Miss International Queen, Miss World and Miss Supranational.
The stage production featured elaborate visuals and energetic choreography, with contestants introduced one by one to Katy Perry’s hit song Dark Horse.
Each beauty queen walked onto the stage as her name, age and nationality were announced to the audience.
Among the contestants who drew attention were Alexia Nunez of the Philippines, Francia Cortez of Mexico, Mariana Bečkova of the Czech Republic - fourth runner-up at Miss Grand International 2022 - Angel Betel of Canada, one of the oldest contestants at age 39, Harriet Lane of the United Kingdom and Gabriela de la Cruz of Venezuela.
Yamilex Hernández, the first winner of the Miss Universe Latina title and representative of the Latin community in the United States at the 74th Miss Universe competition, also attracted significant attention during the ceremony.
Huong Giang receives loud cheers
Representing Vietnam, Nguyen Huong Giang stepped onto the stage to enthusiastic applause from the audience.
She is the only Vietnamese contestant participating in this special season and entered the competition with an impressive résumé, having previously won Miss International Queen 2018 and Miss Universe Vietnam 2025.
During the swimsuit presentation, Huong Giang appeared in a fiery bikini look and confidently walked the runway with a lighter prop in hand, adding a distinctive and theatrical touch to her performance.
The opening ceremony was not only an introduction event but also the first opportunity for all 58 contestants to showcase their personalities before an international audience as official All Stars contestants.
The stage segments combined live music, runway performances and high-energy visuals that kept the atmosphere intense throughout the evening.
Early recognition from global fans
One of the most anticipated moments of the night was the announcement of the Stars World Famous Award winners.
The award was determined entirely through fan voting on the official Miss Grand International Facebook and Instagram platforms.
The three winners announced were Alexia Nunez from the Philippines, Francia Cortez from Mexico and Jennifer - the English name used by Huong Giang during the competition - representing Vietnam.
The award recognizes contestants with strong global influence and popularity among international audiences rather than judging panel evaluations.
Following the award presentation, contestants participated in the official sash ceremony hosted by Nawat Itsaragrisil, founder and president of the Miss Grand International Organization.
The organization also unveiled the crown that will be awarded during the grand finale on May 30.
In addition to the crown, the eventual winner is expected to receive prize money ranging from 100,000 USD to 1 million USD.
Huy Minh
Photos: MGI, Huong Giang
.svg){kind=icon}
