During my numerous years of being in K-Pop, I have with no doubt, seen my share of stick-thin bodies, cardboard-flat chest and SnoopDogg Lion's unforgettable yet blatantly true "Legs, thighs... but no biscuits". It'severywhere, from B2Y's Nara ruler and a half, 18" waist to SNSD's Yuri gaining a pound and everyone flipping the fuck out, it's undeniable that body image--more specifically,weight-- is one of the largest factors when dealing with female and male idols alike. In fact, weight is so important that it's not even that rare to see a Korean celebrity or two starve themselves in order to fit into those size -1 jeans. Weight is so important that it's not uncommon for a female idol to gain about half a pound and wear a push-up bra, but be called fat. Weight is so damn important that companies lie and claim that basically every. single. female idol is 45kg on their official profile when actually, though they're still toothpicks, weigh more than 45kg. With all that being said, what I'm really wondering is "what is the ideal weight"?
The problem:When I hear of people talking about "ant waists", "45kg" and "a person being considered curvy however being as straight as a board" I just sit there, greasy ass pizza in hand, and say to myself: What the fuck is wrong with being of a healthy weight?, Since when was being over 50kg fat? and Maybe oppar won't sarang me after all... because these female idols (and male idols) are no where close to fat. Let's take for example Lee Hi, 2nd runner-up of the first
season of K-Pop Star's, the goddess who is labeled as Monster Rookie and the singer of the amazing songs Rose, 1,2,3,4 and It's Over. After her transformation from her K-Pop Star days to the release of her song Rose, it can be agreed anywhere and everywhere that this girl is at most considered normal weight for her height... but even then, I have wtinessed numerous netizens complaining about her body no matter the pounds shed. Likewise, my girl, SECRET's Hyosung, was no where near fat. She had curves, she had tits... but still, it wasn't enough to leave the negatives comments away and keep her from weight loss. But why is it like that?
The transition:
What I think one of the leading problem's about this is basically Korean's image-centric viewsupon themselves and upon others. In fact, as stated above, I think weight is possibly one of the biggest things that is worried about, some proof through the revealed badmouthing from theSuper Junior members Shindong and Leeteuk.
Not only that, though those are just a taste of what's really happening in people's heads, there's other instances that are less offensive but more subtle. SECRET's Hyosung who lost weight in response to harassment about being a bit heavier (110lbs) as well as her begging her company to let her eat high calorie food, T-ara's Hyomin (as well as probably the whole T-ara if not every female idol in the industry) who was and probably still is starved by her company Core Contents Media, SNSD who claimed to gobble down the equivalent to around 5 and a half Big Macs (3000 calories a day) when we all know that's bull shit, 4 Minute's HyunAwho went all the way down to 39kg (86lbs) for Bubble Pop promotions but skinny as fuck before... all these instances basically causing the larger and substantial question, as stated before, to hang above all our heads: What do you think is the "ideal weight"?
The transition:
What I think one of the leading problem's about this is basically Korean's image-centric viewsupon themselves and upon others. In fact, as stated above, I think weight is possibly one of the biggest things that is worried about, some proof through the revealed badmouthing from theSuper Junior members Shindong and Leeteuk.
Not only that, though those are just a taste of what's really happening in people's heads, there's other instances that are less offensive but more subtle. SECRET's Hyosung who lost weight in response to harassment about being a bit heavier (110lbs) as well as her begging her company to let her eat high calorie food, T-ara's Hyomin (as well as probably the whole T-ara if not every female idol in the industry) who was and probably still is starved by her company Core Contents Media, SNSD who claimed to gobble down the equivalent to around 5 and a half Big Macs (3000 calories a day) when we all know that's bull shit, 4 Minute's HyunAwho went all the way down to 39kg (86lbs) for Bubble Pop promotions but skinny as fuck before... all these instances basically causing the larger and substantial question, as stated before, to hang above all our heads: What do you think is the "ideal weight"?
P.S. We need some more Zico's in K-Pop!
