In Korean entertainment, actors often push themselves to the limit to change their appearance for roles, including losing a lot of weight. This devotion to their work has drawn in viewers from all over the world, with celebrities like Park Min Young making news for their physical changes. The promise these actors make to become their characters has become a defining feature of Korean drama and film. This shows the industry’s high expectations and how professional the performers are.
Korean actors can adapt their bodies to suit many roles, from historical dramas to modern thrillers. This article explores the experiences of several well-known actors who changed their weight for their parts. We’ll look at the stories of Kim Ji Won, Lee Min Ki, Roh Jeong Eui, and Kim Rae Won highlighting their techniques, struggles, and how these changes affected their acting and careers.
Kim Ji Won
Diet for Queen Of Tears
Kim Ji Won, who stars in “Queen of Tears,” changed a lot to play her character. She stuck to a strict diet for a whole year staying away from heavy foods and even Chinese food. She did this because her role needed her to wear different clothes and look a certain way.
Why Kim Ji Won lost weight
The actress said she didn’t just lose weight to be healthy. Her character’s clothes and other things made her decide to be “careful” about what she ate. She said all the outfits and other stuff she had to show in the drama meant she had to be strict with her diet.
Kim Ji Won’s face changes
People saw a clear change in Kim Ji Won’s looks on her face. They spotted that her once adorable cheeks had changed to a more defined appearance, which fit well with her role, Hong Hae In. This change showed how much she cared about playing a rich heiress in “Queen of Tears.”
Lee Min Ki
Lee Min Ki lost weight to play in Monster
Lee Min Ki changed his looks drastically to play his part in the movie ‘Monster’. He lost a whopping 16-17kg to become Taesoo, a merciless killer character. The actor’s commitment didn’t stop at just dropping pounds; he cut his total body fat down to a mere 4% at one stage. This extreme physical shift was his way of showing a cold-blooded murderer.
Lee Min Ki’s dieting challenges
The actor first experienced extreme weight loss for a role. He took on a tough diet and workout plan to get the body he needed. Lee Min Ki also trained hard for a scene where he had to show his whole back. The director wanted him to look like a model so Lee worked to make his back skinnier with specific exercises.
Lee Min Ki’s portrayal of a murderer
To capture Taesoo’s sharp and edgy personality, Lee Min Ki felt it was essential to enter the character’s mindset instead of just reciting lines. This method allowed him to depict the killer more. His physical change affected his mental state making him feel on edge and helping him give a more realistic performance as a murderer.
Roh Jeong Eui
Roh Jeong Eui has become a big name in Korean entertainment. She started as a child actress and is now a full-on celebrity. Her parts in “18 Again” and “Our Beloved Summer” showed this change. Her main roles in “Hierarchy” and “Badland Hunters” proved she’s made it big.
How Roh Jeong Eui changed herself to play Hierarchy
To play Jung Jae-yi in “Hierarchy,” Roh had to look the part of an 18-year-old from one of South Korea’s richest families. She lost a lot of weight to fit the role better.
How Roh Jeong Eui lost weight
Roh dropped 15.4 lbs (7kg) by doing pilates and watching her diet. She ate more protein, like boiled eggs and chicken breast shakes. The actress gives credit to her trainer for 80% of her weight loss and her diet plan for 20%.
Roh Jeong Eui’s career growth
At 22, Roh has worked in the industry for 13 years. Even with her success, she stays modest and wants to learn more. She aims to become an actress who comforts viewers around the world with her acting.
Kim Rae Won
Kim Rae Won changed his weight many times for roles
Kim Rae Won changed his weight several times for his roles. For the gangster movie “Gangnam Blues” (2015), he lost 15 kilograms (33 pounds) in two months. He kept this up for the SBS show “Punch,” dropping 5 more kilograms to play Park Jeong-hwan, a character with a brain tumor.
Kim Rae Won’s parts in Gangnam Blues and Punch
In “Gangnam Blues,” Kim took on the role of a fist-fighting gangster, while in “Punch,” he played a prosecutor with a terminal illness diagnosis. These parts showed his range and dedication to acting. Kim’s commitment to genuine performances pushed him to his limits leading to praise from critics for his work in “Punch.”
Kim Rae Won’s fight to put weight back on
The quick weight drop affected Kim’s health badly. He said he went to the ER multiple times while filming and got IV treatments on purpose to boost his energy. Even though he tried to gain weight by eating four to five meals each day, he found it hard to add pounds. This showed how actors can face physical challenges when they change their bodies for roles.
Conclusion
Korean actors show their commitment to acting by changing their bodies for their roles. This dedication to their work is clear. Kim Ji Won dieted for a year to get ready for “Queen of Tears.” Lee Min Ki lost a lot of weight to play his part in “Monster.” These actors put in a lot of work to become their characters in a real way. Their hard work has a big effect on how they act. It helps them play complex roles with more depth and realism.
These changes, while eye-catching also shed light on the bodily and mental hurdles actors encounter as they chase their craft. Kim Rae Won’s battles to put weight back on after several parts highlight the possible health dangers involved. As Korean shows and movies keep grabbing viewers worldwide, the extremes actors push themselves to for their roles prove their drive and the sky-high bar set by the industry.
