Bachelorette Stephanie Lai 'stoked' to be first Chinese on the show

When the show premiered last Sunday, Stephanie was one of 19 women vying for the heart of bachelor Zac Franich.

It took three seasons, but The Bachelor NZ finally has its Chinese bachelorette.

Stephanie Lai - a 24-year-old Malaysian Chinese, whose parents moved to New Zealand in 1988 - said she was "stoked" to be a pioneer.

"I'm totally stoked at being the first Chinese bachelorette, and if people feel happy about watching me on TV, I'm more than happy to accommodate that and live up to the name," Lai said.

When the show premiered last Sunday, the University of Auckland law student was one of 19 women vying for the heart of bachelor Zac Franich.

Stephanie said she was "stoked" to be a pioneer.

After Monday's rose ceremony, she is one of 16 ladies still in the running in the reality TV show.

Lai said she decided to apply for the show because she wanted to be part of all the "cool things" that the bachelorettes got to do.

"The highlight so far is that I've just been given a rose, and I'm really stoked," she said.

"All the girls are so cool, I can't wait to see them again after this whole process, I definitely know that I've made friends for life."

Lai, a former beauty pageant winner, is not new to television, and had starred in another reality show Reality Trip.

She was one of five young Kiwi consumers learning about where their cheap, overseas-made goods came from.

Stephanie said she decided to apply for the show because she wanted to be part of all the "cool things" that the bachelorettes got to do.

Lai would not say if she thought Franich was "the one", but thought he was a nice guy.

"Zac is definitely a really nice guy and we get along ... in terms of when we talk about travel and about kids," Lai said.

"He does Surf Life Saving training and he's got a beautiful bunch of kids that he trains almost every day I think.

"It's just really nice to talk to a nice mature guy who can talk about worldly things, and who has your best interests at heart."

Lai is also the only bachelorette with braces fitted, which she said was a result of her being self conscious about one tooth.

"I thought ... I'm getting older now and its about time that I get braces," she said.

"I keep putting it off at high school, I didn't want them in my ball photos and then I didn't want them at uni.

She's happy that Franich had never once mentioned her braces.

Lai lives in a house her father bought for her and drives a Range Rover that her mother gave.

However, despite her wealth, Lai said she enjoyed volunteering and helping the poor and homeless.

She said being on The Bachelor also marked a new start for her.

"I was a shopaholic, now I am a worldly, more conscious, young mature lady who now studies law, probably got a bit more boring.

"I'm well travelled, well educated and I'm well dressed. This is Stephanie 2.0."

Massey University Chinese marketing specialist Associate Professor Henry Chung said it was about time the show had a Chinese bachelorette.

"The Bachelor needs to grow among all population segments, and a high potential is among Chinese viewers," Chung said.

"Having a Chinese on the show brings a connection to Chinese viewers."

A Mediaworks spokeswoman said it aimed to find bachelorettes from different backgrounds.

"We strive to make the cast of bachelorettes as diverse as possible and our casting call outs aim to reach New Zealanders from all backgrounds," she said.

"Ultimately however, we run a reactive process so can only choose from women who proactively apply."