Extreme dieting in Korean entertainment industry sparks concern after stars reveal health scares

From left, Lee Se-young, Lee Seok-hoon, and Red Velvet’s Joy / Xportsnews

Several Korean celebrities have recently opened up about the dangerous side effects they suffered due to extreme dieting, prompting renewed concern over unrealistic body standards in the entertainment industry.

Actress Lee Se-young revealed the consequences of her past crash diets in a June 9 video on her YouTube channel. “I didn’t take any supplements. I either starved or ate only protein, cutting carbs completely,” she said, describing an unsustainable and unhealthy regimen.

She went on to disclose lasting aftereffects: “My hair started falling out then, and it still hasn’t fully grown back. I didn’t get my period for six months. I thought I had a serious illness.”

Lee Se-young / Captured from Lee's YouTube channel

Red Velvet’s Joy also spoke candidly about her own experience during a recent episode of MBC’s “I Live Alone.” Reflecting on her twenties, she said, “I was so conscious of others’ opinions. I pressured and punished myself. I wasn’t kind to myself in managing my body — I was cruel. Eventually, my body couldn’t take it.” She added that she has since adopted a healthier approach to self-care, improving both her physical and mental well-being.

Veteran broadcaster Choi Hwa-jung, often praised for her self-discipline, shared a story about staying at a fasting retreat. “I lost eight or nine kilograms. I didn’t eat anything for seven days — not even salt,” she recalled. “But because I lost weight by starving, I gained one kilogram with every meal after that. Within a week, I was back to my original weight.” She also revealed she experienced significant hair loss during this period.

From above, Joy, Choi Hwa-jung, and Lee Seok-hoon / Captured from MBC and YouTube channels

Male celebrities have faced similar struggles. Singer Lee Seok-hoon of SG Wannabe spoke about dropping from nearly 100 kilograms to 64 kilograms, but not without serious consequences. Appearing on a YouTube channel, he said, “There was a time I lost 15 kilograms in one month. I survived on cherry tomatoes, a few eggs, one sweet potato and some vegetables three times a day. I exercised on an empty stomach. I ended up with kidney stones, chronic fatigue and blood in my urine.”

Fans responded with concern. “Being a celebrity is no easy job,” one comment read. “Health should always come first.”

Netizens also raised alarms about the broader impact of these revelations. They warned that the extreme dieting habits of celebrities, often done to maintain slim physiques, could normalize dangerously low weights as beauty standards for the general public. With the rise of the “bone-thin” trend, calls are growing louder for greater awareness of the serious physical toll such standards can take.

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.