It’s no secret that idols are held to strict weight standards and KARA’s Seungyeon has been known to be candid about her body image and idol experience.
In SBS’s documentary SBS Special: Bodymentary – Confessions About Weight, the idol revealed her struggle with her body image and weight as part of a cast of five female stars on the show, including Kim Wan Sun, Seungyeon, Jeon Hyo Sung, Soyou, and Hwa Sa.
Seungyeon explained that she became obsessed with numbers, something that the “idol standard” look, which insisted that stars follow the “height-minus-weight-must-equal-120” (height in cm minus weight in kg) rule encouraged.
The unhealthy ideology, she added, became a habit that she carried over to life even after KARA disbanded in 2016, reuniting in 2022 for an anniversary comeback.
Reflecting on her obsession with weight, Seungyeon detailed how far her obsession went, to the point that she worried that even IV fluids in the ER would make her gain weight.
Normal food consumption, of course, was completely out of the question.
“The company set my target weight at 48 kg (105.8 lbs). At 168 cm (5’5″) tall, the only way to achieve that was to not eat,” she said.
The other female idols, stars of their generation, chimed in with similar experiences.
Jeon Hyo Sung, a singer and actress, explained that she viewed her body as intrinsic to her public image and identity.
“When people think of Jeon Hyo Sung, they think of my figure. My life goal became, ‘I don’t want to lose this love,'” she said.
In order to maintain her figure, the actress sported form-fitting shapewear and wore 15 cm (6 inch) heels, which caused pain to her flat feet and cut off her blood circulation.
Seungyeon seconded her experience with painful sacrifices, especially when it came to idol fashion.
“To pull off low-rise pants and crop tops…Even a tiny bit of a stomach was unacceptable,” she said.
The idol revealed that she once fainted after losing weight, and that her determination to remain thin lead to a chronic health condition.
Kim Wan Sun, an ’80s singer dubbed the “Korean Madonna” at the time recalled the demands of the job, where she had to hit the stage just days after a major car accident.
“Sometimes I’d only have time to cram in a biscuit or some ice cream before going on stage,” Sun said.
“I skipped so many meals that my colleagues used to say, ‘I just want to see her eat one meal.'”
The cast aired out their grievances on SBS’s Bodymentary – Confessions About Weight, which premieres December 8.
