Jung Eun-ji & Lee Jun-young’s Intense Transformations Drive Success of “Pump Up the Healthy Love”

KBS2’s drama Pump Up the Healthy Love is winning hearts with its fresh, fitness-focused storyline and powerful performances by Jung Eun-ji and Lee Jun-young. Airing every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:50 PM, the series blends humor, heartfelt moments, and gym culture, fueled by the actors’ impressive physical and emotional transformations.

Jung Eun-ji’s Shocking Transformation

Jung Eun-ji stunned viewers by revealing her incredible dedication to her role. “I gained 9kg in just a month and a half by eating a lot of late-night meals and chicken breast,” she explained. “It wasn’t just fat gain—it was a real bulk-up for the character.”

She added that shedding the weight afterward proved to be an even greater challenge, “I did cardio three times a day and managed to lose it all in just two weeks.” Her intense commitment to physical transformation has drawn praise for her professionalism and drive.

Lee Jun-young on Playing a Villain and Gaining Muscle

Lee Jun-young, her co-star in Pump Up the Healthy Love, opened up about the lingering emotional toll of his role in the 2023 film Brave Citizen. He described portraying Han Soo-kang, a brutal school bully, as the most emotionally taxing experience of his career. “There’s a scene where my character stubs out a cigarette in a grandmother’s gimbap. That wasn’t even in the script—it just came out. But afterward, I cried during the break because my own grandmother was sick at the time,” Lee Jun-young recalled.

When asked how he managed to convincingly portray such a menacing character despite his gentle real-life persona, Lee Jun-young said, “I try to focus deeply, but sometimes the director would say, ‘You still look too kind,’ so I’d have to dig deeper emotionally.”

Now in a vastly different role as a passionate gym director in Pump Up the Healthy Love, Lee Jun-young also shared his physical journey. “I’m not someone who gains weight easily, so I had to eat five meals a day. I watched a lot of Kim Jong-kook’s fitness videos for research,” he said. After filming, he cut his body fat down to 13–14kg and teased upcoming shirtless scenes in the drama.

The Unique Charm of “Pump Up the Healthy Love”

The drama’s sharp, witty use of gym terminology and relatable fitness struggles have made it stand out. Lee Jun-young’s character — Hyun-jung’s unique speech style, shouting lines like “What the fat!” as he fiercely rejects fat has doubled the charm of his character and captivated audiences. His habit of attaching “What the” to everything, resulting in catchphrases like “What the chojang,” “What the makchang,” and “What the big gym,” has even birthed a meme-worthy language trend dubbed the “What the” craze.

The show’s growing popularity is evident from viewers’ reactions online:

• As a personal trainer, I relate so much—it’s hilarious and tickles me.
• Time flies when I watch this during cardio.
• The writer’s husband runs a gym, right? That experience is showing!
• Perfect for treadmill watching — feels like online PT with Coach Do yelling ‘You can do it!’
• On days I don’t want to go to the gym, this show motivates me.
• I shouted ‘What the’ at school without realizing it.
• This is the only thing I’m watching on TV these days.

In one scene, Hyun-jung consoles Mi-ran’s tears during gym registration by saying, “Crying leads to muscle loss,” a uniquely gym-focused comfort. When Mi-ran is tempted by carbs, he gently strokes her hand, joking it’s “just increasing your range of motion,” staying in character even romantically.

He also uses real fitness concepts like “progressive overload” to support her through workout burnout and explains her feelings for him using “interval training,” cleverly blending fitness theory with emotion—resonating strongly with fitness fans.

By blending fitness wisdom with heartfelt storytelling, Pump Up the Healthy Love appeals even to viewers uninterested in exercise. It has emerged as a “healing drama” that offers both laughter and gentle motivation for physical and emotional wellness.