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Modeling is a tough business. You need the body, the face, and perhaps the most difficult thing to achieve: the walk. All the top models must combine these three components perfectly. In an industry that is so difficult to break into, a reality TV competition where the winners are whisked off to Italy for a potential professional modeling career could be just the chance an aspiring model is looking for! But these contestants will have to show off more than just their good looks to win this competition. What do these model wannabes have to do to prove their worth for this Chinese TV show? It might just bug some people.

That’s right, bugs!!! On their way to prove their ultimate modeling skills, forty women from across China  compete in a series of trials to land one of the twelve spots that would take them to Italy and beyond in the modeling world. The first two rounds featured contestants walking down the catwalk, or rather, bugwalk, through thousands of live beetles.

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They also had to do this barefoot.

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The contestants sashayed through the creepy-crawlies, and while most of the women tromped successfully through the field of beetles, others fell flat on their butts.

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Guangxi Satellite Television and an Italian fashion agency are the pair behind this curious competition to find top notch models and give them a chance to work on the European supermodel circuit. We hope the contestants continue to do their best against whatever is thrown at them!

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To the beetles that were likely squished in the making of the show, we thank you for your courage and hope that perhaps a less “alive” challenge is utilized next time.

Source: That’s 
Images: 21CN Xinwen