This is a very common problem at Miss Universe pageants. Many of their interpreters do a pretty sorry job, mostly because they are even more nervous than the competitors! Poor them – can you imagine standing next to some of the most beautiful women in the world when you look perfectly ordinary?

In any case, that should not be the excuse. Pageants have been won and lost on the basis of interviews, and some people believe this to be the case this year. Honey Lee’s interview on the Miss Universe website was absolutely charming, and she did manage to project that same charm on screen. Well done, Honey!

Here’s what Pop Seoul had to say about Honey Lee’s translation woes.

It will be fascinating to see how long she will be able to keep posting her experiences as Miss Universe. I’m thinking that the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) has some policy about title-holders blogging, much like companies have HR policies about their employees blogging. It would be great if she could track her year via her blog, and especially via Twitter. I’d love to follow her tweets on Twitter. AND also great if she could be candid and honest about working with the MUO. But’s that’s too much to ask, I feel.

Another blog to watch is the one kept by her national director Ines Ligron. That’s more likely to be upfront about what it’s like to work with the MUO.

So far we’ve had a detailed account of Riyo’s first few days as Miss Universe. She went to the Hamptons; she was at Japan Day in Central Park; she has a personal trainer called Eric with whom she does Pilates…. amazing!

The immediacy of Riyo Mori is thrilling!

Apparently, back in Feb Oprah wore the same Gucci dress that Riyo Mori wore when she was crowned last week. People has pictures, and there are a tonne of comments about which one wears the dress better.

We’ll never know the judges reasoning as to why Miss Korea placed 3rd runner-up, but what we do know is that Honey Lee is one of the most beautiful contestants ever to grace Miss Universe’s stage. Both girls were absolutely breathtaking, but Japan was fun loving and had this sassy energy, while Korea was more reserved. In the end, they both made history as the only Far Eastern beauties to place in the top 5 for a long time (barring Kurara Chibana’s 1st runner-up placement last year). Well done, girls! You both have the Universe at your feet!

And so we have our second winner from Japan! Riyo Mori is the second Japanese woman to win the pageant. The first Japanese, and indeed the first Asian, to win the Miss Universe pageant was Akiko Kojima in 1959. It took almost 50 years for another Japanese woman to be crowned Miss Universe. It was about time!

I love it! The first Miss Universe from the Far East since Miss Thailand in 1988!

In the meantime, here’s Miss Korea in national costume