The winner of last year’s Vietnam Super Star Contest is suing the competition’s organizers for failing to pay her the US$10,000 prize and withholding a trip to South Korea guaranteed by her victory.

Duong Thi Hong Nhung, 20, won the contest on November 7. But since then she says she has not been paid her prize money nor has she been given training in South Korea as promised in her contract.

Nhung filed her lawsuit against the cultural center at the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court of District 1 on January 11.

The center’s director Nguyen Huu Nghi said Nhung was not suitable for the trip to Korea and the contest title as she is engaged to be married. He said organizers had been shocked to find out Nhung had a fiancé.

But he admitted that the contest regulations had not forbidden married or engaged people from entering. He said the lack of such a regulation was shortcoming of the contest.

Nhung called Nghi’s reasons for denying her the awards “irrational.”

Nghi has suggested that Nhung not travel to Korea and that the prize money be split between Nhung and the first and second runners up in the completion.

Reported by Kim