Asia's Next Top Model


Asia's Next Top Model is a reality television show based on the American franchise America's Next Top Model in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of Asia's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry. The show features models from the entire Far East region.

Search for contestants

An extensive online search takes place for the selection process. Models of Asian descent or nationality are all allowed to apply, but they must be able to speak and write in English. All applicants are required to be at least 16 and no older than 27 years of age, and at least tall. Contestants who have previously participated in another Top Model franchise can still apply for the competition as long as they were not the winner, and are not currently under contractual obligations with an agency or endorsing any product or brand.

Format

Each season of Asia's Next Top Model has about 12-13 regular episodes, with a special recap episode which airs near the end of each season. Each season generally begins with about 14–16 contestants. Contestants are judged weekly on their overall appearance, participation in challenges, and their best photos from that week's photo shoot.
Each episode, one contestant is eliminated, though in rare cases a double elimination or non-elimination was given by consensus of the judging panel. Makeovers are given to contestants early in the season and a trip to an international destination is sometimes scheduled about two-thirds of the way through the season.
In contrast the American version, the contestants receive instruction from a mentor who helps coach them in various aspects of the modelling industry and acts as a general assistant during photo shoots and challenges. Past mentors have included Joey Mead King, Kelly Tandiono and Cara G. McIlroy. Beginning with season 4, the show adapted the scoring system introduced in the American version.

Judges

For the sixth season, Cindy Bishop and Yu Tsai returned to the panel as the host and creative consultant of the show, respectively. Cara G. McIlroy did not return for the sixth season. Instead, she was replaced by Monika Sta. Maria from season 3, Shikin Gomez and Minh Tu Nguyen from season 5 as model mentors throughout the sixth season.
Previous judges of the show include photographers Todd Anthony Tyler, Mike Rosenthal, creative director Daniel Boey and fashion designer Alex Perry, model mentor Joey Mead King, Kelly Tandiono, and Cara G. McIlroy, catwalk coach Adam Williams, and head judges/hosts Nadya Hutagalung, and Georgina Wilson.

Seasons

Contestants per country

Controversies

Glenn Tan

executive Glenn Tan, who was a guest panelist in the fourth episode of season 4, sparked backlash on social media after reprimanding South Korean contestant Sang In Kim. Kim, who was told by Tan, "Who the fuck do you think you are to roll your eyes at me? If I'm the client, I am never, ever going to hire you!", was defended by fans of the show on Facebook. Executive producer of Asia's Next Top Model Sam Gollestani told the BBC, "Glenn provides the perspective of a client when choosing a model to front campaigns for products, which is why he was invited to be a guest judge this season. This scene is reflective of what considerations go into making these decisions when working in the fashion and modelling industry."

Mai Ngo

In May 2016, twelfth-placing contestant Mai Ngo Quynh, from Vietnam, was fined VND22,500,000 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, after it was ruled that she had entered Asia's Next Top Model illegally. Vietnam's official rules specify that all people who participate in beauty competitions abroad must obtain secure permission from the MCST and have won at least one national title. Mai had previously competed on the Vietnamese version of Top Model and in Miss Universe Vietnam, but had not won any titles. It was reported that she was summoned to report to the MCST three times but had failed to do so. The MCST had previously banned her from walking in Vietnam International Fashion Week in April. Mai claimed she did not know that the rule applied to non-professional models, and applied for mitigation of penalty.

Viewership

International broadcasts

Asia's Next Top Model is broadcast in all parts of Asia via cable channel Star World. The first and fifth seasons of the series are free to watch on the show's official YouTube channel, but the videos are currently set to private viewing. All other local free-to-air channels air the series on a one-week delayed schedule.
Country/RegionChannelDateTranslated titleDub/Subtitle
Arab WorldOSN Al Yawm 12 January 2013rowspan="22" rowspan="2"
Hong KongTVBTBA--
IndonesiaRCTI 7 December 2012Subtitled in Indonesian-
IndonesiaTV One 20 March 2016 – 15 April 2017Subtitled in Indonesian-
IndonesiaNET. 8 February 2014 – 22 Agustus 2018Subtitled in Indonesian-
IndonesiaINews 25 Maret – 17 Juni 2015--
JapanTV Asahi 9 March 2013Dubbed in Japanese-
PhilippinesStudio 23 9 December 2012 – 3 March 2013rowspan="9" -
PhilippinesVelvet 9 December 2012 – 3 March 2013--
PhilippinesTV5 16 January 2014 – 24 April 2014--
PhilippinesTV5 23 March 2016--
PhilippinesGMA Network 19 April 2015 – 12 July 2015--
SingaporeChannel 5 2 December 2012--
SingaporeMio 22 May 2015--
SingaporeStarHub 15 May 2015--
South KoreaOnStyle 13 December 2015--
ThailandChannel 8 4 December 2012
Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
ThailandChannel V Thailand 15 January 2014
Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
Thailand3 SD 21 April 2015
Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
Thailand3 Family
20 March 2016Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
Thailand3 Family
15 April 2017Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
ThailandFox Thailand 5 April 2017Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
ThailandFox Thailand 22 August 2018Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
ThailandGMM 25 24 August 2018Dubbed and subtitled in Thai-
VietnamVTC – Let's Viet 2 December 2012Dubbed in Vietnameserowspan=3
VietnamVTC1 27 March 2016Dubbed in Vietnamese-
VietnamVTV3 April 2017Dubbed in Vietnamese-