Hwasa Reveals Inhumane Practices by Her Agency: “Weight Chart Posted on the Wall, Reflected in Monthly Evaluations”
Kim Wan-sun, Soyou, Jun Hyo-seong, Han Seung-yeon, and Hwasa will share stories from different eras and stages of their lives in the SBS special “Bodymentary – Confessions about ‘Weight’,” where they were judged based on their looks and weight, while also revealing the hidden side of the entertainment industry.
Hwasa reminisces about her trainee days when she had to record and publicly display her weight daily. She recalls, “The weight chart was posted on the wall, and it was reflected in the monthly evaluations.” Although she gained immense popularity with her solo track “Maria,” she admits that it was the most difficult time of her career. The pressure of the “unrealistic beauty standards” imposed on female celebrities was overwhelming.
Soyou shared her experience of weekly weight checks by the rookie development team during her trainee days. Admiring the slim, tall figures of Girls’ Generation seniors, she controlled her food intake by crossing out one line every time she ate a side dish. Soyou also revealed that she wore heels to and from the company for practice, constantly under pressure to lose weight to debut, eventually fainting on the street from exhaustion.
Jun Hyo-seong confessed to extreme dieting and binge-eating due to stress about her weight, which eventually took a toll on her body. When her solo album didn’t even make it into the ‘TOP 100’ during its first week, she considered breast surgery to regain public attention, revealing her obsession with her appearance. She also shared an incident where she wore 15cm high heels with a front heel and tied her bra strap to keep them from slipping while dancing, injuring herself in the process.
Hwasa, Soyou, Jun Hyo-seong, Han Seung-yeon, who captivated the entire Japanese audience as a member of KARA, and Kim Wan-sun, who has been loved as “Korea’s Madonna” for over 40 years, will all share raw, honest stories about living as women, artists, and idols in South Korea in “Bodymentary – Confessions about ‘Weight’.”
SBS Special: “Bodymentary – Confessions about ‘Weight'” will air on Sunday, December 29, at 11 PM (KST).
