Oh Hyun-kyung recalls 1989 Miss Korea win; Lee Young Ja says she expected Go Hyun-jung to win

Actress Oh Hyun-kyung reminisced about being crowned 'Jin' (winner) at the 1989 Miss Korea pageant, sharing memories of competing alongside Go Hyun-jung. Oh revealed that she never expected to win, as many at the time actually predicted Go would take the top title.

On the 17th, Oh appeared on tvN STORY's "Youngja and Seri's What Are You Going to Do With It?" to discuss her Miss Korea days with MC Lee Young Ja.

During the broadcast, Lee asked Oh, "When you became Miss Korea Jin, was Go Hyun-jung the Sun (second place)?"

Recalling the competition, Oh replied, "She was the Sun, but honestly, it was a close call. It was impossible to say who was superior."

Oh and Go both drew significant attention at the 33rd Miss Korea pageant held in 1989. Oh, then a freshman in the Department of Theater and Film at Dankook University and contestant number 2, rose to the final 'Jin' position, while Go, competing as contestant number 34, took the 'Sun' title.

However, Oh revealed that she did not think she would ascend to the highest position.

"At that time, there were already many rumors that Hyun-jung was so superior," she said. "I didn't even think I would become the Jin."

Lee, who also remembered the pageant, added an unexpected testimony.

Recalling how the public's expectations differed from the actual result, Lee said, "I also thought it would be Go Hyun-jung."

She continued by recalling Oh's appearance back then, noting, "She had large eyes and an exotic look that was rare in our country. Her eyes were so bright and she was truly beautiful."

The Miss Korea pageants in the late 1980s functioned as a major gateway to stardom, producing actors and broadcasters. Oh and Go both captured the public's attention through the pageant and subsequently established themselves as successful actresses.

Oh also spoke about the prize money she received after being crowned Miss Korea Jin. The prize money at the time was 15,000,000 won, and Oh revealed that she gave it all to her parents.

Oh, who had been earning income as a model even before participating in Miss Korea, explained that her mother had also steadily saved her earnings.

She revealed that after handing over the Miss Korea Jin prize money to her parents, she was able to purchase her first home using the savings her mother had accumulated for her.

Ultimately, the 1989 Miss Korea stage held deep meaning for Oh. In a competition where no one could easily predict the outcome, she claimed the crown of 'Jin,' marking the starting point for her career alongside Go, who took the 'Sun' title on the same stage.

The fates of the two women, which diverged at a beauty pageant 36 years ago, continued in their own ways. While Oh reminisced that she "didn't know she'd be the Jin," Lee recalled the intense competition of those days, saying, "I thought it would be Go Hyun-jung."