Mudang, by Rachel K. So

Cal-pal Rachel K. So (blog) has a nice gallery of personal photos with commentary on transgender themes in South Korea. Check it out!

Rachel K. So’s Transgender Themes in South Korea

Most people think transgender culture in South Korea is a very recent phenomenon. However, it actually runs over a millennium, much of it centering around the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Gwaneum (Kwan Yin/Avalokitesvara), who has a very well-known transgender history.

Of course, the official stance of the current fascist ruling party in South Korea, and the Korean-American Christian extremists, is that transgenderism is a newly introduced Western perversion. Don’t listen to them – neither does the average South Korean.

Photos taken all over South Korea from September to November 2008, except for the final photo, taken in Los Angeles in December 2008.