Lady, the world's first manufactured transgender band, are releasing a nude photo album.
Countless female stars have taken it off for the camera, but this is the first time in Korea that a band of transssexuals will be appearing in what are no longer their birthday suits.
The photos were taken amid much secrecy in Thailand’s transsexual mecca Pattaya, home of an annual ladyboy beauty contest, between April 19 and April 23. By releasing a photo album focusing on an entirely different standard of sexiness than those of other celebrities, Lady hope to establish themselves as international models.
Starting with the provocative title -- "Women, reflect!" - the album throws down the gauntlet to born women, with the implication that all of these former men have worked so hard on their bodies that they can now stand comparison with internationally famous models. Indeed, one of Lady's members, Sahara, came fourth in an international transgender beauty contest, while Shinae has done commercials.
The photographer is said to have exclaimed in awe at the shapely figures of Lady's singers.
The group did some soul-searching before doing the album, to decide if they were ready for the inevitable controversy that would follow in a society that still looks down on transsexuals, and brazenly naked ones at that. But in the end Lady agreed saying, "We thought it would be an opportunity for us to get recognition as real women. We ask that you think of the photographs as works of art."
To coincide with the release of the album, the group plans to release their beauty secrets on their official homepage and fan websites. It remains to be seen how pictures, which will be released through mobile service at the end of the month, will be received.