How you go like to spend your 80s?

Some gardening, maybe learning a language, a bit of travelling, spending time with di grandchildren.

Or perhaps contesting inside an international beauty contest with di ultimate aim of launching your modelling career on di world stage.

For Choi Soon-hwa, na im be dis.

Dis week, di 81-year-old take to di stage with women wey she senior times three for Miss Universe South Korea, hoping to make am to di finals for Mexico later dis year.

DI question, though, na why?

"After raising children and going through hardships, e remain just two pipo, and dat na wen you need to find wetin you wan do," di former hospital worker explain to BBC shortly after she come off stage.

"Once you find am, e go become di energy wey go drive your life, leading to a positive outlook and healthier relationships with pipo, wey in turn go help your well-being."

For Ms Choi, di tin she bin wan do na modelling, ever since one patient suggest make she take am up at di age of 72.

Di comment give her di confidence to take di step after several years of financial hardship, wey bin don push her and her family to almost destruction.

In di years since, she don become a familiar face for South Korea - including walking di runway for fashion week - but launching a career outside di kontri prove to dey difficult.

So wen Ms Universe, di ogbonge beauty pageant wey begin nine years after dem born Ms ChoI, decide to throw out rules wey bin ban contestants over di age of 28 earlier dis year, she jump at di chance to take part - making her di oldest ever contestant so far to take part.

"Dis na sometin I no fit imagine," she tok. "For several years, I don dey wish to step onto di international stage as a model.

"However, e no get any clear path or guidance for me, but since di Universe competition no get age restriction, I participate with di goal of reaching di global stage."

Di removal of age restrictions come as di Miss Universe competition move towards becoming more diverse in recent years - allowing married women, transgender women and single mothers to take part.

But her entry still cause commotion - even among her competition.

"Di participants bin surprise to see me, and wen dem learn say I dey 80, dem express admiration, say, I wan to age like you," she admit.

And e don bring her di international interest she dey hope for: Ms Choi don gada headlines around di world.

Wetin e no buy na ticket to Mexico: di Miss Universe South Korea crown instead go to Han Ariel, aged 22.

Ms Choi no waka comot completely empty handed however - but with di title of "Best Dressed".

"Just being able to participate na amazing and honourable experience", she tok, adding dat she hope she go be di first of many older women to compete for di crown and, by extension, challenge beauty norms.

"Since dis still dey new, e get a lot of buzz, but as more seniors dey participate, perspectives on dem go shift, and e go come a time wen seniors go fit compete in world competitions," she tok. "But for now, na still time for di young ones to take di stage."

And wateva happens next, she know say some of her biggest fans go always dey at home in di form of her grandsons, wey be 23 and 24.

"My grandchildren dey cheer me on, say, 'Our grandma dey so cool, pretty, beautiful, and di best!'"


At 81, Choi Soon-hwa na di oldest ever Miss Universe South Korea contestant