In the realm of Korean drama, the commitment to bringing characters to life can often go beyond acting prowess. From shedding pounds to packing on muscle, Korean celebrities frequently undergo physical transformations to embody their roles on screen–along, of course, with some practiced caution and the guidance of professional coaches.
Ahead, see some of the Korean actors and actresses who underwent physical transformations for their roles.
LIST: Korean Celebrities Who Gained or Lost Weight for K-Drama Roles
1. Lee Jung Ha in “Moving”
Before the superhero series became a hit in Disney+, Moving first gained an audience as a webtoon by Kang Pool. To accurately depict the characters in the original comic, actors like Lee Jung Ha had to transform their physicality. In fact, Jung Ha gained 30 kilograms to portray Bong Seok, a shy schoolboy with flight powers.
“I was really happy to be able to eat,” Jung Ha said, in a translation by Koreaboo. “As I gradually gained weight, I wanted to become Bong Seok as soon as possible, and the more I gained, the more I could see him.”
2. Park Min Young in “Marry My Husband”
While known for her perky office-going characters, actress Park Min Young had to depict a different side of her for the beginning of the revenge drama Marry My Husband. Her character, Kang Ji Won, was diagnosed with a terminal illness, which meant that certain scenes saw the actress looking gaunt. According to reports, the actress went down to 37 kilograms for the role.
3. Han So Hee in “My Name”
Given the action-packed nature of the 2021 crime thriller My Name, it isn’t a surprise that lead actress Han So Hee had to do some physical preparation. As Ji Woo, a woman seeking to avenge her father’s killing, So Hee performed most of her action scenes herself. She gained 10 kilograms, with half of it being muscle, according to the actress.
“After doing a lot of action scenes, I also increased the amount I was eating. I just ate whatever I felt like eating and weighed around 53 to 54 kilograms when filming started,” she said, in a translation by Soompi. “I didn’t force myself to gain weight, it just naturally happened so that my body could endure the action scenes and work.”
4. Lee Sung Kyung in “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo”
Playing a weightlifter requires grit and discipline, just as much as a real weightlifter should possess. Lee Sung Kyung certainly knows this, after portraying the titular character in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo. To play the lead of the 2016 college-set drama, the actress reportedly gained five kilograms of muscle. A report also revealed that Sung Kyung trained for two months under the professional weightlifting coach Kim Cheol Yu, who had to squeeze intense training into a packed filming sched.
5. Heo Sung Tae in “Squid Game”
As the violent gangster Deok-su in the hit series Squid Game, actor Heo Sung Tae had to take drastic measures beyond mentalities. In able to depict the character’s hulking physical traits, the actor gained 15 to 17 kilograms in a mere month. However, it wasn’t without its detriments, as Sung Tae also talked about how this quick fluctuation in his weight had weakened his health.
6. Kim Ji Won in “Queen of Tears”
Korean actress Kim Ji Won slipped into the shoes of chaebol heiress Hong Hae-in for Queen of Tears, but the role, too, had physical prep involved. Aside from her health, the star revealed that she opted to change her eating habits for the character, which involved steering clear of her favorite dishes for a whole year. To motivate her, the actress vowed to treat herself to her comfort food once production was done. “I have Sichuan jjapaghetti that I promised myself I would eat once [we were] done shooting,” she said.
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