Introducing the Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 Contestants

The girls of AsNTM Cycle 5

The Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 contestants have already been revealed! 🙌 Here are the 14 models vying for the title of becoming Asia’s. 👏 Next. 👏 Top. 👏 Model. 👏

As I’ve already mentioned in my previous Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 post, we have the usual countries represented: Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. What’s special about this cycle is that for the first time in Asia’s Next Top Model history, twins are competing, representing Indonesia. 👭 Taiwan is also back, last seen in Cycle 3.

Now let’s meet this cycle’s 14 girls. In no particular order 👀 (So please don’t go looking for a pattern like last time, okay? 😂)

If you aren’t too keen on reading long articles, I’ve prepared a video for you with all 14 girls after the cut…

Now let’s find out more about each girl…


Shikin Gomez 🇲🇾

#MalaysiaOnTOP #TeamShikin

One of two Malaysian representatives this cycle is 24-year-old full-time model Nurfashikin Mohd Faisal Gomez. She’s had a lot of modelling experience in her country, walking the runway for Malaysian designers at the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week. She has even joined a local model competition reality show in 2015, Malaysia Supermodel Search, where she bested all the females in the competition and came out on top. That experience will surely help her in this competition!

Will she put Malaysia back on top and become Asia’s Next Top Model this cycle?

Instagram: @shikingomez
Twitter: @shikingomez


Minh Tú Nguyễn (Tu) 🇻🇳

#VietnamOnTop #TeamTu

24-year-old Minh Tú Nguyễn, or Tu for short, is the sole representative of Vietnam for Cycle 5. She has been working as a professional print and ramp model in her country. She’s very interested in make-up and being a fitness model.

Will she finally give Vietnam their best ever result this cycle?

Instagram: @minhtu_nguyen


Maureen Wroblewitz 🇵🇭

#PhilippinesOnTop #TeamMaureen

Recently moving to the country to pursue a modelling career in the local fashion industry, Maureen Wroblewitz is one of three girls representing the Philippines this cycle. Like guest judge Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, Maureen is also German-Filipina. In fact, she was born and grew up in Germany, before she was discovered on Instagram as a model. She is now represented by Prima Stella Management in Manila.

Will she finally break the Philippine runner-up curse and become the first Filipina Asia’s Next Top Model?

Instagram: @mauwrob


Veronika Krasnadewi 🇮🇩

#IndonesiaOnTop #TeamVeronika

Valerie Krasnasari 🇮🇩

#IndonesiaOnTop #TeamValerie

The first ever twin representatives on Asia’s Next Top Model! Indonesian sisters Veronika Krasnadewi and Valerie Krasnasari are models in their country. The twins won as Cosmopolitan’s Fun Fearless Females in 2014. But Asia’s Next Top Model is not their first time in an international competition: Just last year, Valerie represented Indonesia in the Miss Tourism Metropolitan International where she won the Best National Costume award. The girls, just like model mentor Cara G, are entrepreneurs themselves, having their own lifestyle brand: TWNS. Valerie and Veronika are both represented by JIM in Jakarta.

Will there be stiff competition between her and her twin sister? Can each twin survive on her own and continue on with the competition?

Instagram: @veronika.twns
Instagram: @valerie.twns
Instagram: @valerieandveronika


Dorothy Petzold 🇹🇭

#ThailandOnTop #TeamDorothy

Perennially sun-kissed, self-confessed beach girl Dorothy Petzold is one of 2 representatives for Thailand this cycle. She’s an absolute mama’s girl and says she can’t live without her. Truly an international beauty, she is represented by Blend in Istanbul, and JEM in London and Asia.

Is a back-to-back win for Thailand and becoming Asia’s Next Top Model within her reach?

Instagram: @dorothypetzold


Jennica Sanchez 🇵🇭

#PhilippinesOnTop #TeamJennica

Blogger and social media influencer Jennica Alexis Sanchez is the 2nd Philippine representative this cycle. She’s basically a social media celebrity, having over 80,000 followers on Instagram alone! (I’m inggit! Follow me on Instagram too! 😂) She has done print and runway for several Filipino fashion brands including F&H (Folded & Hung). Jennica is represented by Ryu Models in Manila.

Can she bring her social media A-game to the model runway?

Instagram: @sanchezjennica

Twitter: @jennicasanchez
Tumblr: @jennica-sanchez


Heidi Ngaemma Grods 🇹🇭

#ThailandOnTop #TeamHeidi

24-year-old Thai-Danish model Heidi Ngaemma Grods is one of 2 girls representing Thailand. She grew up in Denmark where she also modeled, but she is currently based in Singapore. Held og lykke, Heidi!

Instagram: @heidingaemma


Cindy Chen 🇹🇼

#TaiwanOnTop #TeamCindy

I’m going to be honest: it was super difficult to find out anything about Cindy. Plus, her Instagram account was only made earlier this year. What I did know about 19-year-old Cindy Chen is she has been working as a print and runway model in Taiwan. She also seems to be a singer, as she has posted herself doing a pretty good acoustic cover of an Imagine Dragons song. But now she’s making herself known and taking the stage as the Taiwanese representative in Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5.

Will she make her namesake, AsNTM host Cindy Bishop, proud?

Instagram: @yshin.c


Clara Sutantio (Clara Tan) 🇮🇩

#IndonesiaOnTop #TeamClara

Indonesia’s third representative is 21-year-old Clara Tan. An only child, Clara has always dreamed of becoming a model ever since she was young and can’t think of anywhere else she would be aside from the fashion industry. She’s done print work for L’Oreal Professionel and Revlon among others, and several editorials in Indonesian magazines. Clara is represented by Edge in Jakarta and Quest in Hong Kong.

Can she get along well with the other girls?

Instagram: @clarasutantio


R. Nametha 🇸🇬

#SingaporeOnTop #TeamNametha

R. Nametha is the first representative for Singapore this cycle. She has only started modelling for a little more than a year but she already won 1st runner-up in The New Paper New Face 2015 modelling competition. You go girl! Now, at 18 years old, she’ trying her luck at an even bigger competition, wanting to become Asia’s Next Top Model. She is represented by Now Model Management in Singapore.

Instagram: @namethaa_


Alicia Amin 🇲🇾

#MalaysiaOnTop #TeamAlicia

Originally based in Melbourne for studies, and recently travelling back to Malaysia to continue her modelling career, Alicia Amin is this cycle’s 2nd Malaysian representative. Alicia is also a pole dancing enthusiast and previously worked as a barista when she was 15. Now she’s modelling full-time but would like to finish her studies and become a human rights lawyer. The girl has varied interests!

Can she focus her sights on becoming Asia’s Next Top Model?

Instagram: @hangrii


Anjelica Santillan 🇵🇭

#PhilippinesOnTop #TeamAnjelica

Anjelica Santillan is also representing the Philippines for Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5. She has walked the runway during Philippine Fashion Week for designer brands including Rajo Laurel. Anjelica is represented by Mercator in Manila.

Will her brutal honesty make her a lot of enemies in the model house?

Instagram: @anjelicasantillan


Layla Ong 🇸🇬

#SingaporeOnTop #TeamLayla

Once a volleyball player, now a high fashion model. 20-year-old Layla Ong is the 2nd representative for Singapore in Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5. She has graced several magazine editorials in Singapore and walked during Singapore Fashion Week. She’s even done some high fashion work internationally, having walked at London Fashion Week for Portuguese brand Morecco. Layla is represented by Basic in Singapore and PRM in London.

Will her Asian beauty bring her to the top of the modelling game?

Instagram: @laylaong
Facebook: Layla Ong


If you want to know even more about the contestants, straight from the girls themselves, here are their official model ID videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqtwd_BH4o&list=PLsGofksRhHvvVWrKapRNObBCwfUNkHAur

(Side note: Why did they have to subtitle Valerie? I understood her English just fine.)


Another year without any representatives from South Asia—no India, Nepal, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka in sight. Also, no Japan, China, or South Korea. Here’s hoping they come back next cycle. 😀

Based on what I can glean from the girls’ biographies on the official website and their social media profiles, I’m sensing a lot of drama happening this cycle. Will it top the drama (and entertainment) that Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 2 gave us? We’ll find out soon. As this cycle’s tagline says: Expect the unexpected. Although they’re definitely all friends outside of the show, so any drama must have been dialed up to a hundred for the sake of making the show more exciting.


Who are your early favorites among the girls of Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5? Are you excited for Cycle 5? Sound off in the comments below.

Don’t forget to watch the premiere telecast of Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 on April 5 (that’s tonight!) only on Star World.

1 Comment

  1. Anonymous says:

    Your first three profile here is spot on

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