The competition to crown China’s most beautiful woman of 2026 is heating up, with several surprising eliminations and fierce competition among some of Asia’s biggest female celebrities.
Recently, the annual Hupu Goddess competition has attracted considerable attention across Chinese social media. According to Sohu, the event is organized by Hupu, one of China’s largest online communities. The competition consists of preliminary voting, a group stage, and knockout rounds. With the group stage now officially concluded, Hupu has revealed the 16 female celebrities advancing to the next stage of the 2026 Hupu Goddess competition.
Group A: Karina (aespa) and Yang Mi.
Group B: Tian Xiwei and Gao Yuanyuan.
Group C: Liu Yifei and Zhou Ye.
Group D: Wang Churan and Chen Yao.
Group E: Song Yuqi (i-dle) and Winter (aespa).
Group F: Xiao A Qing Angle and Liu Haocun.
Group G: Li Yitong and Jang Wonyoung (IVE).
Group H: Zhang Ruonan and Zhang Jingyi.
The group stage followed a round-robin format, with contestants receiving three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss, based on voting results. Perhaps the biggest surprise came from Group F, where Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat failed to advance.
Dilraba has long been regarded as one of the leading beauty icons in Chinese entertainment. Known for her glamorous red-carpet appearances, she has also established a successful acting career through popular dramas such as Eternal Love, The Flame’s Daughter, You Are My Glory, Swords of Legends, Diamond Lover, and Love Beyond the Grave. However, she was eliminated after losing her second match to Xiao A Qing Angle, a popular streamer on Douyu who regularly attracts millions of views.
Two other well-known Chinese celebrities, Ju Jingyi and Cheng Xiao, also narrowly missed out on advancing after the final round of voting. Ju Jingyi lost to Chen Yao by just eight votes, while Cheng Xiao fell short against Zhou Ye by 145 votes.
In the 2026 Hupu Goddess competition, aespa’s Karina and Chinese actress Tian Xiwei are widely considered two of the strongest contenders in the real-person goddess category. Both received overwhelming support during the preliminary round, significantly outperforming many of their competitors. However, each has a different appeal that could influence the outcome of the remaining rounds.
Tian Xiwei is particularly admired for her doll-like facial features and charming appearance. Often described as one of Chinese television’s most beautiful historical-drama actresses, she has gained popularity through series such as New Life Begins, Guardians of the Dafeng, Romance on the Farm, and most recently, Pursuit of Jade. She is currently among the most popular young actresses in China, and the success of Pursuit of Jade is believed to have helped her attract even more fans.
Meanwhile, Karina has captured attention with her striking figure, glamorous appearance, and commanding stage presence. K-pop remains highly popular among Chinese audiences, giving the aespa leader a strong advantage despite Tian Xiwei’s domestic popularity. In fact, Karina finished first in the preliminary voting round, while Tian Xiwei ranked second, making the K-pop star one of the leading candidates to win the competition.
The 2026 edition marks the 11th year of the Hupu Goddess competition. This year, organizers have expanded the voting process through partnerships with several major Chinese digital platforms, including Douyu, a popular livestreaming service focused on gaming and esports; Bilibili, a video-sharing platform similar to YouTube; and TapTap, a gaming distribution platform and online community.
Sources: gamek