A contestant on a television show became Korea`s first transgender supermodel.
Choi Han-bit, 23, a former student at the Korea National University of Arts advanced to the finals of the SBS pageant program "The Asia-Pacific Supermodel Contest 2009."
Contestants are given the coveted label of "supermodel" if they advance to the finals and during the preliminaries Choi told judges, "I am here as a woman to fulfill my dreams of becoming a supermodel" and added "I hope all of you base your judgments with fairness and without the confines of prejudice."
She later thanked her parents for all of their support of the choices she made in life and especially for their help in getting a sex change operation.
(kws@heraldcorp.com)