How did ATEEZ’s choreography influence San’s decision to build muscle?

San said ATEEZ’s choreography involved powerful, large movements, leading him to think he needed to work out and make his body bigger. He said he then focused on bulking up.

What did San eat while trying to gain muscle?

San said he increased his food intake, eating high-carbohydrate snacks with milk and consuming as many as six meals a day.

How long did it take San to gain about 13 kilograms?

San said he gained about 13 kilograms after roughly four years of effort. He recalled that he had been slender around the time of ATEEZ’s 2018 debut.

ATEEZ's San opens up about how he built up muscular physique

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Summary

ATEEZ member San described how he built his muscular physique on Saturday’s episode of MBC’s variety show The Manager. He said the group’s demanding choreography motivated him to bulk up, and that he gained about 13 kilograms after roughly four years of effort. San also said he trained almost daily and increased his food intake, while his manager noted that he worked out even when staying at hotels.

Key Facts

San said he had a slender frame around the time ATEEZ debuted in 2018.
San said he ate high-carbohydrate snacks with milk and sometimes had as many as six meals a day.
San’s physique drew particular attention after ATEEZ released BAD in June, including a choreography sequence fans nicknamed the chest dance.
Hongjoong said San had been self-conscious about his body when he was younger.

By Xportsnews

Published Oct 26, 2026 1:29 pm KST

ATEEZ member San, now known powerful stage presence, opened up about how he built up his muscular physique.

The K-pop star shared the story behind his physical transformation on Saturday's episode of MBC's variety show "The Manager," which offered a glimpse into ATEEZ's daily life.

San's physique has drawn particular attention this year following the release of ATEEZ's "BAD" in June. A choreography sequence performed by San near the end of the song, nicknamed the "chest dance," generated buzz among fans.

During the episode, San headed to the gym, where his manager said working out has become an almost daily routine.

"San is really serious about taking care of his body, so he works out almost every day," the manager said. "He even works out every day when we're staying at hotels."

But San said his muscular build did not come naturally, recalling his slender frame around the time of his debut in 2018.

Fellow ATEEZ member Hongjoong said San had been self-conscious about his body when he was younger.

"San had a complex about it when he was young," Hongjoong said. "That's why he worked out incredibly hard."

San said ATEEZ's demanding choreography ultimately gave him another reason to gain muscle.

"Our choreography is so powerful and the movements are so big," he said. "I thought, 'I need to work out and make my body bigger,' so I really focused on bulking up."

That meant dramatically increasing his food intake as well as training. San said he would eat high-carbohydrate snacks with milk and consume as many as six meals a day.

After roughly four years of effort, San said he gained about 13 kilograms while building the muscular physique that has since become part of his commanding stage presence.

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

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