K-pop's glamour hides a dark side of extreme dieting driven by intense beauty expectations. Idols like IU and TWICE's Momo have shared stories of crash diets that led to rapid weight loss but posed serious health risks. While many now advocate against such practices, young fans continue to be influenced by these trends.
The K-pop industry places idols' bodies under relentless scrutiny from fans, media, and themselves, often leading to extreme diets to maintain slim figures. According to the article, IU lost 4 kilograms in four days by eating only an apple for breakfast, two sweet potatoes for lunch, and a protein shake to complete her daily intake. BIGBANG's Top popularized a 'red bean jelly' diet, consuming nothing but unsweetened red bean jelly and water.
More alarming examples include TWICE's Momo, who survived on ice cubes before her group's debut to shed weight, and Gugudan's Mina, who at one point drank two bottles of sparkling water a day. Momo later noted she regained almost all of the seven kilos lost within a week after ending the diet. Recently, Billlie's Moon Sua admitted to eating nothing but ice for a week during her trainee days to meet weight requirements for evaluations. BTS's Jimin is reported to have skipped meals during the group's 'Wings' era to achieve a chiseled appearance.
These crash diets, typically adopted before debuts or comebacks, are described as short-term and dangerous, with potential long-term health impacts. Most idols, including Momo and Mina, have abandoned such extremes and urged fans not to follow suit. However, the article highlights that young K-pop fans, drawn to the genre's energetic music, remain vulnerable to online information promoting these fad diets to emulate idols' looks.
Broader societal pressures glorify the 'thin is beautiful' ideal, particularly affecting women by tying self-worth to body weight. While idols acknowledge these diets as past mistakes, the lasting influence on impressionable audiences persists, underscoring the need for change in beauty standards.
