Korea's Next Top Model Features Trans Woman

It took America's Next Top Model 11 seasons before Isis King broke ground as the first open trans woman to appear on the show.   Its Korean counterpart took only three seasons to do so.

I've talked about Choi Han-bit, the now 26 year old transwoman who came in second on the 2009 edition of the Open Hall show that is a televised model search competition.   She was one of 1,200 contestants who started but the aspiring model kept progressing through the competition all the way to the finals.

She transitioned back in 2006 and has been diligently working to crack the modeling ranks in South Korea but keeps getting turned down for modeling jobs.  

She's now appearing on the third season of Korea's Next Top Model and once again has the eyes of a nation and the international trans community on her.  

Her appearance on KNTM3 has been met with mixed reviews from viewers and contestants, but show officials pointed out she is considered legally female in South Korea and it would be a human rights violation if she is not allowed to do so.

So far she is five shows into the KNTM3 cycle and has been doing well so far.   She finished third in one episode and in episode five won the reward challenge.    Staying alive and avoiding elimination is the name of that the game on that show, and so far Choi Han-bit has managed to do so. 

Here's hoping she not only makes the final of KNTM3, but wins it.