Trigger warning: the content below discusses “anorexia” and other eating disorders.

MAMAMOO’s Hwasa & Sistar’s Soyou Open Up About K-Pop Diet Culture In SBS’ “Bodymentary”

Released on December 28, 2024, “Bodymentary: Confessions About Weight” is an SBS documentary featuring South Korean female stars sharing their personal experiences with the restrictive and unhealthy diet culture normalized in the entertainment industry.

In a candid segment, Hwasa, now renowned for her sassy vocals and curvy figure that rivals a Greek goddess, revisited her trainee days and shared, “That was a time when I had to work hard, but I didn’t know what the right approach was. Everyone said this was how it’s done, and to debut, I had to follow. So, I just didn’t eat. On weigh-in days, the members and I would go to the pharmacy to buy laxatives and take them before weighing ourselves.“

On one occasion, trainee Hwasa secretly ate black sesame rice cake to calm her hunger, only to feel overwhelmed by her actions and throw up. She recalled, “I thought, ‘I went through all this stress to lose weight, and now I’ve eaten again?’ All my emotions, guilt, and anger, flooded in. I sobbed and ended up vomiting. That’s how it progressed into anorexia.“

The iconic girl group Sistar’s Soyou also shared her vulnerable story about diet culture. She revealed that during her trainee days, her company assigned her a goal weight of 48 kg. After her debut, when her weight reached 56 kg, she was put on a diet consisting of just four quail eggs, without yolks.

She added, “Once, I fainted on the street. A stranger took me to the hospital, and I was given an injection. Even at that moment, I remember thinking, ‘If I get this IV drip, my weight might go up.‘ I worried that the fluid going into my body would make me gain weight. Eventually, I debuted, and I was amazed by all the love I received. It felt so surreal.“

Note: the documentary is currently unavailable for online streaming.

This Week’s Notable Achievements

• The 2024 APAN Star Awards winners have been announced, including:

  1. gugudan‘s Kang Mina for Best Actress

  2. Kang Daniel for Best Entertainer

  3. N.Flying‘s Seunghyub, OMEGA X‘s Hyuk, and Leciel‘s Moon Xion for Best OST with “ECLIPSE - Sudden Shower“

     Check out the complete list of winners on Soompi.

• ROSE‘s “APT“ has officially broken the 12-year record for the fastest K-Pop MV to hit 700 million views. Previously, this record was held by PSY‘s iconic track “Gangnam Style.“

Upcoming Tours, Events, & Performances

• AleXa and Kim Jang Hoon have been confirmed as special guest performers for Rolling Quartz‘s 2025 “STAND UP“ tour in Seoul, adding even more excitement to the event.

• Listen Page with STARDOM has unveiled their lineup, featuring DKB, Wei, n.SSign, POW, CIX, and ALL(H)OURS. Fans are eagerly anticipating these performances.

ICYMI:

• BTS‘s J-Hope has donated 100 million Korean won (68,000 USD) to support the families affected by the Jeju Air plane crash.

• Kep1er’s Xiaoting has officially ended her contract with TOPCLASS, leaving fans curious about her next steps.

• Billlie’s Tsuki will participate in the Radio Charity Musicthon auction, which supports the installation of sound-emitting traffic lights to assist visually impaired individuals.

• The JTBC survival show “PROJECT7” Boys group name has been revealed as “Close Your Eyes.” Check more information about the group here.

Next Week’s Comeback Schedule

Sunday, January 5, 2025

• JUST B: Digital Single “Still I Luv You“

Monday, January 6, 2025

• GFRIEND: Pre-Release Track

• BOYNEXTDOOR: 1st Digital Single “I LOVE YOU“

• ONEW (SHINee): 4th EP “CONNECTION“

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

• KWON EUNBI: Digital Single “It’s Snowing (feat. Coogie)“

• XLOV: Debut Single “I’mma Be”

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

• BSS (SEVENTEEN): 2nd Single “TELEPARTY“

Thursday, January 9, 2025

• WOOSUNG: Remix Album “4444: Reborn“

Friday, January 10, 2025

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Saturday, January 11, 2025

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— Javeria Yousuf

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