There is the constant, overbearing pressure that you may place on yourself or others place on you to always look good. Sometimes, the pressure may serve as the right amount of motivation to stay fit and healthy with the right exercise and diet; unfortunately for many K-Pop idols, such a luxury is not typically the case. The pressure, coupled with harried, tight schedules, lead some idols to cut corners, taking drastic, at times unhealthy shortcuts to achieve their desired look and body.
Many people, particularly worried fans, have protested this unhealthy approach to 'dieting' in K-Pop, which, confusingly enough, is lauded and always the topic of hot discussion in the mainstream media.
Just take a look at some of the most extreme cases of K-Pop idols' dieting and weight loss below and be sure to add your own voice to the matter.
SEE ALSO: Viewers note the stark difference between MAMA venues in the U.S. and Japan
Yura
Yura has said on an episode of 'Tasty Road' that she "does not eat" two weeks before a comeback. A concerned Jang Hyuk advised her to instead take up boxing and eat whatever her heart may so desire. I agree with Jang Hyuk on this one. 'Not eating' is not a diet!
Xiumin
Alas, Yura is not the only one who uses the method of not eating in order to maintain or lose his weight. Xiumin has stated in a past interview that he barely eats and just sweats it out during dance practice. That's fine...but baozi should also eat, too!
Ailee
For a past comeback, Ailee revealed that she lost about 22 lbs in in a little over a month. That's around a five pound loss a week! The numbers may not really speak to some people, but consider this: Ailee herself said that this rigorous diet of a 500 calorie intake per day made her feel like she was going to faint. That doesn't sound too good...
Hani
Hani's comeback preparations for "Hot Pink" is probably one of the most memorable of drastic K-Pop diets. The idol said during a radio show that she lost so much weight (22 lbs) that she appeared "disfigured" and was forced to gain some weight back. She also confessed that she ate just enough to survive, something that had concerned many of her fans.
Sandeul
Though Sandeul's diet was relatively healthy and he didn't lose too much weight in too short a time, fans were concerned as the idol wasn't 'big' to begin with. Many people had commented that Sandeul should have dieted and exercised in moderation. We sincerely hope that was the case, too.
Se Jung
IOI's Se Jung was recently seen enthusiastically telling people that she "lost too much weight" and became a size 33 (U.S. equivalent of XXS). That's even tinier than the regular tiniest size of 44 (XS) in Korea! Se Jung is known to be petite, but she just may be overdoing her diet if she dropped to a size XXS.
Taeyeon
Taeyeon has stated in an interview that she keeps losing weight because of her many activities and promotions. Though it's not explicitly said, perhaps Taeyeon's activities allow her no time to sit down and eat a proper meal. We hope that's changed and that she takes the time out of her day to eat more often!
Yoo Sung Eun
Singer Yoo Sung Eun recently revealed on a radio show that she lost a little over 22 lbs, shocking everyone with her confession. No other information was given on exactly how Yoo Sung Eun shed so many pounds; however, 22 lbs is still a considerable amount of weight loss. Let's hope that Yoo Sung Eun lost this weight in a way that didn't adversely impact her health.
Kim Tae Woo
Kim Tae Woo was recently reported to have lost 17 lbs in under two weeks. The singer had looked happy, beaming proudly about his weight loss in pictures he shared with his fans. However, people worried that Kim Tae Woo may have lost too much weight too fast.
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