How a Five-Year-Old from Stavropol Conquered Asian Modeling
At her age, children usually argue about which ice cream tastes better or what braid to wear to kindergarten tomorrow. But five-year-old Sonya from Stavropol knowledgeably chooses between sneakers and ballet flats for her next shoot.
First—shows and shoots in Russia, then China, followed by two seasons in Korea. And for little Sonya, it«s not about success yet; for her, it»s a game, an adventure, and magic that began with an ordinary trial lesson at a modeling school.
«We went for a trial—and came out with a new life plan»
The idea to go to modeling school belonged to mother Marina. In her social media feed, she came across a post from a Stavropol modeling school—«first lesson free.» «Why not go?» she thought.
At the trial class, children were asked to show emotions: joy, surprise, «a serious face.» Sonya handled it easily, as if she«d been playing in front of the camera all her life. Those photos—simple, almost accidental—turned out to be decisive.
«We posted those photos on one of our social media pages—and our Russian booker, who works with China, stumbled upon them by chance. She was just looking for children for projects and noticed Sonya. They wrote to us: »We«re looking for this girl,»« recalls father Sergey.
Marina works at a bank, Sergey is a sales manager. They are both 35, have been together for almost ten years, and Sonya is their only child.
«We didn»t plan a career. We just once said «yes» to a free lesson,« Sergey smiles. »We wanted the child to do what she enjoys. And she liked being photographed.«
Before her first trip abroad, Sonya had already done several shows in Stavropol—participated in a fashion show, shot for marketplaces and children«s brands. Back then, it all seemed like just a game, but it was these shots that were noticed overseas.
When Sonya was offered to go to China, she was three and a half years old. For the parents, it was a shock—but a pleasant one. Marina was filled with joy and pride, Sergey with care and anxiety.
«We didn»t hesitate for a second about going,« he recalls. »There was a feeling that this was a chance not to be missed.«
For the adults—anxiety: flights, layovers, a different language, a foreign country. For Sonya—an adventure.
«She loves flying in general,» her father smiles. «She sits by the window, looks at the clouds, and it seems like everything around is just a new game.»
On site, they were met by someone from the agency: took them to an apartment, explained where things were, showed them the city. Two days later—the first shoot. Everything was different from Russia: strict timing, pedantic wardrobe, three pairs of shoes for each look. Every hairpin—in its place.
«The Chinese wanted lively photos. They said: »Walk around, move, laugh«—and the team just ran after her with the camera. When she understood that, everything went easily,» recalls mother Marina.
«Slavic children are very in demand in Asia,» Marina explains. «Their appearance seems unusual, but most of all they value emotions. Sonya has a lively face, she doesn»t pose, she just plays.«
After every shoot, Sonya would order herself something on Taobao. «She»s a shoe fanatic,« her mother laughs. »After every job, a new pair of sneakers.«
For the girl, China became a fairy tale: noisy studios, flashes, attention, colorful dresses. For the parents—a mix of excitement and pride.
«Marina got tired from the translation, from the language, from everything being new. But Sonya was loving it.»
«We were the most nervous,» the father admits. «She doesn»t understand that there«s a flight, a schedule, a shooting day. For her, it»s just «the world is big, beautiful, and interesting.»«
Korea: shoots three times a week and life like in long vacations
Only half a year had passed after China when the family got another call, this time inviting them to Korea. Sonya was invited to shoot for children«s brands of clothing, shoes, dresses, glasses, and toys, and participated in ads for cozy pajamas and blankets from a namesake brand.
«We didn»t even think long,« says Marina. »We already knew how everything worked, knew that Sonya would handle it. Plus, we were told about Korea—they treat children more gently there.«
And so it was. In Korea, a different rhythm: shoots three or four times a week, for several hours. The rest of the time—walks, cafes, parks, new friends.
«It»s more like a vacation,« her mother smiles. »Breakfast in the morning, then a walk, in the evening lessons, writing practice, sometimes a photoshoot. She doesn«t even get tired.»
The atmosphere is light and friendly. During breaks—laughter, games, shoots turn into a «make-believe movie» game.
Sonya quickly got used to the new place. She loves sweet bubble tea and fish-shaped cookies with paste, knows where her favorite sneakers are sold, and every day finds an «adventure route»—a park, a waterfront, or just a street with ice cream.
«Koreans are very warm towards children,» Sergey shares. «They come up, smile, give candies, say compliments. Sometimes they even ask for a photo.»
Sonya laughs, makes a heart with her fingers, and says hello or kamsahamnida—«thank you» in Korean.
«She already knows hello, thank you, cute, and ice-cream,» her father laughs. «Sometimes she repeats after the locals, and she even does it with an accent.»
«She does everything with interest,» her mother says. «If it»s boring somewhere, she says so right away. We don«t force her. The main thing is that she enjoys it.»
Now Sonya is on her second trip to Korea. Between the first and second—only four months. The «Solnyshko» kindergarten in Stavropol awaits her at home, while in the meantime, her collection of memories—and friends from all over the world—grows.
During shoots, Sonya often works in pairs with other children—boys and girls from different countries: China, Korea, Japan, the USA, Brazil, Belarus. During breaks, they play, laugh, show each other their toys, and teach words in their languages.
«Children quickly find common ground without translators,» her mother says. «Some show emotions, some try to explain something with gestures, some just smile—and friendship has already blossomed.»
On weekends, when there are no shoots, families sometimes walk together—go to the park, to attractions, or just to the waterfront for ice cream.
«She looks forward to these meetings,» says Marina.
After such shoots, they often stay in touch—parents text, and children video call, send each other stickers and drawings.
«She»s no longer afraid of new people. She connects with anyone—without words. That«s probably the main result.»
In their family, everything is simple: no career at any cost. If tomorrow Sonya says «I don»t want to«—then everyone doesn»t want to.
«We»re investing not in the industry, but in the child,« Marina says. »If she«s interested—we»re by her side. If she wants something else—we«ll go to another activity.»
Over these two years, Sonya has managed a lot. She«s become more confident, learned to hold her own in front of the camera, but most importantly—she stopped being afraid of new things. Now she easily communicates with people, regardless of language, quickly grasps what»s expected of her, and stays true to herself.
In the evening after shoots, Sonya usually flips through photos on her phone and picks her favorites. When asked what she likes most about modeling, she thinks, frowns a little, and says:
«I like when I»m pretty and when I have lots of pretty photos. And when I walk on the runway, and then we go eat ice cream. I want to fly on an airplane again,« the girl smiles.
