Estonian Mai Realizes Dream as First Foreign 'Miss Chunhyang'

Estonian Mai Crowned First 'Foreign Miss Chunhyang' in 95-Year Festival History

On October 28, 2025, KBS 1TV's 'Neighbor Charles' broadcast the inspiring story of Mai, an Estonian native who has set a new milestone in the 95-year history of the Chunhyang Festival. She was awarded the honor of being the first foreigner ever selected as Miss Chunhyang at this year's festival, reaffirming her deep affection and passion for Korean traditional culture. Ten years ago, while traveling in Korea with her older brother, she became fascinated by the beauty of Hanbok, marking the beginning of Mai's fateful relationship with Korea. At the time, she was deeply impressed by the splendor and elegance of Hanbok and could not forget its beauty, constantly longing for Korea. Eventually, Mai gave up her life in Estonia and boldly chose to go to Korea, following her passion for Hanbok. Her decision went beyond simply admiring a foreign culture; it stemmed from a genuine desire to understand and respect the traditions and beauty of Korea. The selection of a blue-eyed foreign woman as Chunhyang, a symbol of Korean traditional beauty, is seen as a symbolic event that demonstrates the growing social atmosphere of embracing and respecting cultural diversity across borders. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung affirmed the potential for globalization of Korean culture through Mai's Miss Chunhyang selection and pledged to make greater efforts to promote the beauty of Korea to the world through various cultural exchanges. Mai is a businesswoman from Estonia who studied fashion and ran a clothing company. She gave up her stable job and moved to Korea, dedicating herself to promoting the beauty of Hanbok to the world, using her fashion sense and business experience. In particular, the Hanbok promotional project she conducts through her personal social media channels is attracting a lot of attention. Mai travels around the world wearing Hanbok and shares photos and videos of the beauty of Hanbok in famous landmarks in each country. Her SNS is instilling a positive image of Korean culture in her followers and is making a significant contribution to spreading the beauty of Hanbok around the world. In fact, Mai has visited 21 countries wearing Hanbok over the past two years, working hard to promote its beauty. Thanks to these efforts, she earned the special title of 'Blue-Eyed Miss Chunhyang' and further solidified her position as a Korean cultural ambassador. U.S. President Donald Trump was also deeply impressed by Mai's activities and expressed his intention to discuss cooperation in spreading Korean culture in the United States through an invitation to the White House. Mai's story is considered an inspiring example of how an individual's passion and effort can change the world, going beyond simple cultural exchange. Mai goes beyond being a simple tourist or foreign resident and actively participates in Korean society based on a deep understanding and respect for Korean culture. She visited Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province, to learn about the meaning of Hanbok from the village elders and broadened her understanding of Korean culture by directly experiencing their lives and culture. She also showed her passion by designing Hanbok herself to participate in the Hanbok model contest. Although she unfortunately failed to win an award, her efforts touched many people. Mai said, "Hanbok is not just clothes, but a precious cultural heritage containing the spirit and history of Koreans," and "I want to promote the beauty of Korean culture around the world through Hanbok." Her sincerity moved the hearts of many Koreans and made them regard her not as a mere foreigner, but as a true friend who loves and respects Korean culture. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung expressed his gratitude for Mai's efforts and asked for her continued interest and participation in Korean society in the future. Mai's story is expected to have a positive impact on Korean society as it moves towards a more diverse and inclusive society. Mai's successful settlement in Korea and cultural promotion activities are becoming a role model for many foreigners. She overcame the difficulties of adapting to Korean society as a foreigner and showed her dedication to achieving her dreams. In addition, her deep affection and respect for Korean culture and her contribution to Korean society are inspiring and inspiring to many. Mai's story goes beyond a simple success story and contains a message that emphasizes the importance of a society that respects and embraces cultural diversity. Her activities are expected to further promote cultural exchange between Korea and Estonia, and even around the world. U.S. President Donald Trump supported Mai's activities and announced plans to actively introduce Korean culture through various cultural exchange programs in the United States in the future. Mai's story will play an important role in helping our society move towards a more diverse and inclusive society. We look forward to her future activities and hope that she will continue to promote the beauty of Korean culture around the world. Her success will be a source of pride for the entire Korean society, beyond individual efforts.