'I cried every day': RESCENE's Minami bares emotional toll of predebut dieting

RESCENE member Minami has opened up about the intense emotional stress she experienced before making her debut as a K-pop idol.

A video uploaded to fellow RESCENE member Woni's YouTube channel on Friday featured Woni, Minami and Liv discussing their drastic predebut weight changes.

The members addressed an earlier claim that Minami's weight had changed by more than 20 kilograms while preparing for the group's debut.

"It wasn't 20 kilograms," Minami said, clarifying that she had lost 18 kilograms. Liv said she had lost 13 kilograms.

The members said they frequently faced comments about dieting while preparing to debut, with Minami recalling one particularly painful experience during a clothing fitting.

She said a pair of jeans would not pull up past her hips, leaving her embarrassed.

"I forced the pants up and managed to put them on," she said. "But I felt so awful after I came out that I went to the car and cried by myself."

The incident affected her to the point that filming had to be halted.

"I cried, so I had to get my makeup done again, and the shoot even had to stop," Minami said. "I couldn't breathe properly and had no energy at all. That's how stressful dieting was for me."

Minami said that at the time, virtually every source of stress in her daily life became connected to dieting.

"I cried almost every day," she said.

Minami and Liv subsequently began dieting in earnest, eventually losing 18 kilograms and 13 kilograms, respectively, before debuting as members of RESCENE.

Their accounts shed light on the psychological strain that can accompany the intense and unrealistic appearance and weight standards faced by aspiring K-pop idols as they prepare for their debut.

RESCENE has recently been gaining attention in Korea with its song "Love Attack."

This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.