Park Min-young’s extreme fasting for drama role sparks health concerns
Park Min-young / Courtesy of tvN
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Actress Park Min-young revealed she underwent extreme weight loss for a drama role, drawing both admiration for her dedication and concern about potential health risks.
At a recent press conference for tvN’s new Monday-Tuesday drama “Siren,” Park said, “My character barely eats,” adding, “During filming, I fasted while drinking about 3 liters of water a day.” She said she has since returned to her normal condition.
Park plays Han Seol-ah, a woman at the center of an insurance fraud scandal. She said she tried to keep her physique as thin as possible to portray a character pushed to psychological extremes. “I worried that even slight weight gain would reduce the character’s desperation,” she said, emphasizing that physical management was part of her acting.
Park previously said she reduced her weight to 37 kilograms for her role as a cancer patient in “Marry My Husband,” enduring on ion drinks alone during filming. Although she did not disclose her current weight, observers said she again appeared to push her body to its limits for the role.
The official teaser for “Siren” shows her markedly thinner appearance, prompting mixed reactions online praising her professionalism while expressing concern about her health.
Water-only fasting can cause rapid weight loss
Severely restricting calorie intake leads to rapid weight loss. In the early phase, the body first depletes stored glycogen, which is bound with water. As glycogen is used, associated water is also lost, producing a noticeable drop of 1 to 3 kilograms in a short time.
If fasting continues for several days, the body begins using fat stores. However, insufficient protein intake during this process can also lead to muscle loss. Fat reduction and muscle breakdown can occur simultaneously, meaning a person may appear slimmer while experiencing a decline in basal metabolic rate.
Drinking 3 liters of water daily may disrupt electrolyte balance
Water is essential for bodily function, but excessive fluid intake without food can lower sodium concentration in the body. Average daily fluid needs for adults vary by condition and activity but are generally about 1.5 to 2 liters. Consuming 3 liters for a short period is not necessarily dangerous, but it can be burdensome when nutritional intake is inadequate.
If hyponatremia occurs, symptoms such as headache, dizziness and lethargy may appear. Repeated extreme fasting can destabilize bodily balance and requires caution.
Rapid short-term weight loss linked to gallstones and muscle loss
Reports suggest that abrupt weight reduction over a short period can increase the risk of gallstones. Losing more than 10 percent of body weight within weeks can disrupt bile composition and promote gallstone formation. Severe calorie restriction may reduce gallbladder contraction, causing bile stasis that leads to abdominal pain or indigestion.
Extreme calorie restriction also consumes muscle along with fat. When protein intake is inadequate, muscle mass decreases and basal metabolic rate falls, making weight regain more likely later. Repeated cycles of rapid loss and regain can disrupt body composition and pose long-term health burdens.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.