Which K-Pop idols were fat in the past?

As K-Pop lovers and industry connoisseurs, we know that the world of Korean pop is not all about beauty, talent, and recognition. It is also full of sacrifices, social pressures, and work that can be extreme. Many idols that we know today as the greatest exponents of Korean beauty have gone through a lot to achieve that image that the Korean industry and society demands. Do you know K-Pop idols who were fat in the past? You will probably already know more than one Idol who was previously fat. But if not, today at Korean Fashion Trends, we will be in charge of presenting you who are those idols who were fat before debuting and who had to undergo extreme diets to get their debut. Stay on this blog and keep reading!

10 idols who were fat before debuting

P.O – BLOCK B

To begin this list of K-Pop idols who were fat in the past, we have P.O. On one occasion, P.O, a member of the K-Pop group BLOCK B, revealed that he weighed over 100 kg when he was in high school. Since he wanted to prepare for his debut, P.O he decided to do it to fulfill his dreams. During his career as an idol, P.O continues to maintain his body with exercise and a balanced diet. Continuing with it was indeed his determination at the moment before his debut. He, better than anyone, knew that if he didn’t, he could get fat again, and regardless of whether he had already debuted, society would humiliate him.

On the Knowing Brothers show, the K-Pop idol revealed the dietary methods that he had tried in order to lose weight. He explained that he and WINNER’s Song Mi-no (during the time before debut) decided to go on an intense and rigorous diet because they wanted to become a hip-hop duo. P.O, while remembering those moments, also said “This was the first time he had been on an intense diet, so when I got out of the hot tub, I passed out.” Luckily, P.O revealed the whole story, explaining, “We both wanted to be a hip-hop duo, so we decided to go on an intense diet together where we lost more than 10 kg.” If you want to know a little more about the diets that idols practice, you can do it by clicking here. In that way, you will discover everything about the ideal weight of idols and their ways of achieving it.

Wendy – RED VELVET

Although she was not obese, Wendy is one of the K-Pop Idols who were fat in the past because her pre-debut photos have shown that she is naturally voluptuous. Also, she received a lot of humiliation. Why? Due to being overweight. That caused her pain and insecurities. For that reason, in an attempt to lose weight, she was even starving very much. Wendy tried very hard to conform to South Korean beauty standards. Because of that, she continued to obsess over her weight. She did it to the point where there was a time during her career when she had lost so much weight that she seemed anorexic. However, her body does not define her talents. Wendy has a fantastic voice.

T.O.P – BIGBANG

If you are a fan of BIGBANG, you will know that the rapper was quite fat during school. When he was a YG ENTERTAINMENT trainee, T.O.P weighed 90 kg. In that way, T.O.P is also one of the K-Pop Idols who were fat in the past. As he was obese, he carried out several methods to lose weight. Because of that, he could debut in the K-Pop industry. At that time, T.O.P only consumed unsweetened gelatin. He drank mineral water. For lunch, he only ate red beans bought from traditional markets. In that way, the rapper lost 20 kg in just 40 days. Of course, his biggest motivation to lose weight was the promise of Yang Hyun-suk, CEO of YG Entertainment, who said that the rapper would debut after he had his ideal body weight. Luckily, T.O.P succeeded, and thanks to that, we enjoy his exceptional talent. However, we wonder how much he will have suffered to accomplish.

IU – Soloist

Besides Wendy, IU is another girl who joins the list of K-Pop idols who were fat in the past. The soloist was once a victim of humiliation by her body since many people considered her fat. She did everything possible to lose weight. She even revealed a diet that people considered unhealthy, the Apple Diet. You can learn more about that diet by clicking here. Today, IU is slim and perfectly fits Korean beauty standards.

Xiumin – EXO

Did you know that Xiumin is also one of the K-Pop idols who were fat in the past? If you are a fan of Xiumin, you sure did know that he was fat before his debut. However, unlike others, he did not go on a diet to reach his ideal weight. On various shows, Xiumin revealed that he had many problems with diets that did not suit him and his needs. But luckily, he is now able to regulate a diet program and stick to it. On Star Show 360, the older EXO member mentioned the four-hour method diet that he did. He told it with a smile on his face.

In addition to exercise, Xiumin also eats on time. That helps the body’s metabolism. He helps him so much that he gets the body to lose weight by himself. Xiumin commented, “After waking up, I walk for 1 hour. Then, I go home and have breakfast. I can eat anything, but I try not to get too full.” He also added that “For lunch, you have to eat properly, especially if you are so hungry. You have to wait up to 4 hours to eat. And you do not have to eat anything before dinner.” In that way, Xiumin explained he began to see results after a month. He also gave tips to follow his weight loss methods. 

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Jihyo – TWICE

Jihyo also joins the list of K-Pop idols who were fat in the past. Although she has an undeniable beauty, she did not escape criticism because of her weight. Even on one occasion, a very disrespectful photographer working on one of her music videos told her that she looked fat. However, in recent years, Jihyo has lost weight. She looks slimmer and more streamlined. The best thing is that she doesn’t look sick or anything like that, so we can say that she has healthily lost weight.

Yoseob – HIGHLIGHT

Yoseob, a member of the group HIGHLIGHT (formerly Beast), talked about his weight loss on an episode of the KBS2 TV show Vitamin in 2013. He revealed the secret to building his stomach muscles, as he was previously overweight. That is why he is one of the K-Pop idols who were fat in the past. According to him, the diet method that he did was very effective. However, Yoseob emphasized exercise, saying it was the most important thing. “I have considered many dieting methods, but recently I boxed, and that’s better”, Yoseob said. He also said he preferred to eat healthily and exercise to keep fit. “This sport also makes me lose weight naturally.” By doing boxing and dieting routinely, Yoseob achieved his body.

Hyuna – Soloist

Before debuting, Hyuna did not have the figure that she has now. Therefore, she is one of the K-Pop idols who were fat in the past. Although she was only a little overweight, she lost weight before her debut. The reason? Because people told her she looked like Shin Jung Hwan. From there, the singer struggled to achieve her ideal weight, and she looked pretty good. However, after the disbandment of 4minute, we got to see the singer lose weight to an unhealthy look. All her fans were concerned. And even though she stayed like this for a while, today we can see how Hyuna has recovered.

Jimin – BTS

Jimin revealed that to lose weight, he went on such a strict diet he even passed out doing it. He confessed this in the BTS WINGS Concept Book. In that interview in the book, the BTS member said that he had felt a lot of pressure to become a perfect idol. Therefore, he followed a strict diet to achieve the ideal body shape. Jimin was obsessed with his weight. So he lost 68 kg in three months. Because he did not have enough nutrients, he was often overweight. But even so, Jimin continued with his diet. All the BTS members were concerned about Jimin’s condition. They often invited him to eat together, but Jimin refused because he wanted to stick with his strict and near-deadly diet plan.

Kyla – PRISTIN

Although Kyla managed to debut without losing weight, she makes the list of K-Pop Idols who were fat in the past. Even though Kyla has a naturally beautiful face, K-Netizens criticized her only because of her weight. Luckily, even though those comments affected her, she did not care. She did not go on such strict diets to please Korean standards.

What is the weight limit for a K-Pop Idol?

The ways for idols to lose weight and not exceed the weight limit are shocking. Many go on dangerous and extreme diets to achieve this. You may wonder then what is the weight limit for a K-Pop idol. The weight limit for them is 47 kg, regardless of age or height. During training, trainees must do a weekly weigh-in. The trainer analyzes the body and then announces their weight to everyone in the room. If the trainee exceeds the designated weight, they ration their food and double the training. Those are very insane methods, but it is the reality of many idols.

There are a lot of K-Pop idols who were fat in the past. Many of those idols went on strict diets to lose weight and fulfill their dreams. And as a consequence, some get so sick that they constantly faint. Would you pay the same price to fulfill your dream? Tell us in the comments and let us know if you think someone else is missing from this list. See you on the next Korean Fashion Trends blog!

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