Seena Liam of Malaysia won Asia’s Next Top Model season 2 over Jodilly Pendre and Katarina Rodriguez of the Philippines.
The Philippines also got runner-up in season 1.
The finale was set at Malaysia’s Tanjong Jara Resort in Kuala Terengganu, and included an editorial shoot as well as a runway event.
Justice Crew of Australia performed during the finale while contestant Janice Hermijanto of Indonesia came back to host a runway show, reported Rappler.
Rodriguez was sent home first as judges said that she had grown as a model but was more of a beauty model than an editorial one. Top Model Host Nadya Hutagalung told her, “I'll never forget the first time I saw you pose, it was terrible.”
Liam’s overall look gave her a win, as judges called her the “face of modern Asia.”
Liam was actually rejected for the first season of the show.
In an interview with Venusbuzz.com, Liam explained how her strategy in the show changed when she finally got to meet her competitors.
“When I got into the competition, I wanted to be quiet and not stand out at first but when I got there and I saw the level of competition I was pitched against, I couldn’t stick to my original plan,” Liam told Venusbuzz. “I had to go all out and really push my hardest before each shoot because you make one mistake, and you can be cut out.”
She added: “We (Malaysians) tend to want Caucasian models or pretty girls, who are more highly valued than the unique girls or the girls who have their own thing going on. Malaysia’s market is more commercial and it’s not so much high fashion, but I’m seeing a lot of change now.
“We’re slowly accepting more different looks, girls that don’t fit into your typical ‘pretty girl’ look and I’m really enjoying that. I think we should accept all kinds of faces.”
