![Woo Seo-yun, then and now. [tvN Joy YouTube, Woo Seo-yun's Instagram]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/24/news-p.v1.20260824.b0f03bc754874c35bbcb80e2424ba302_P1.jpg)
The selection of Woo Seo-yun, 23, as Miss Korea Jin has sparked a plastic surgery controversy — and reignited scrutiny of past Miss Korea winners. Woo is the daughter of Woo Ji-won, a former basketball player known for his looks.
Woo was named Miss Korea Jin, the pageant's top honor, at the 70th Miss Korea pageant hosted by Global E&B on Saturday.
Old photos of Woo resurfaced online, with many noting that her appearance looked noticeably different from today. Whether she underwent surgery remains unconfirmed, as Woo herself has not addressed the question.
Some critics argued that only women with natural beauty should be eligible to compete, since the pageant is meant to select a representative of Korean beauty. "If they're going to crown someone who's had plastic surgery, they should call it 'Plastic Surgeon Korea,' not Miss Korea," one commenter wrote. Others called for the pageant to be abolished altogether, saying the standards were unclear.
Others pushed back, arguing that Miss Korea is not judged on looks alone and that most contestants have likely had some form of cosmetic procedure.
Plastic surgery controversies surrounding Miss Korea Jin winners are nothing new.
Kim Min-kyung, who won the Jin title in 2001, was the subject of rumors that she had spent 800 million won ($578,000) on cosmetic procedures. She later admitted on a television program that she had undergone double-eyelid surgery three times.
Kim Yu-mi, the 2012 Jin winner, faced similar scrutiny when old school graduation photos surfaced shortly after her coronation. She later addressed the issue openly on television, acknowledging she had work done on her eyes and nose, and said, "I never claimed to be a natural beauty."
paq@heraldcorp.com
