Top model Han Hye-jin surprised viewers when she revealed her heaviest-ever weight was 58 kg.
On the 12th, Han Hye-jin's YouTube channel uploaded a video titled "The Top Model's Long-Awaited Return to Health Management." In the clip, she says she decided to go on a diet after overeating during the holiday weekend.
Viewers focused on her disclosure of her peak weight. She recalled, "I had an InBody test today and it was the worst. My threshold is 58 kilograms — I must never go over it — and seeing that number this morning set off warning bells." She added that her neck and shoulders were in poor condition, so she's been using lighter weights. "Gaining weight is one thing, but I'm more upset that my muscle mass dropped. My body fat hit an all-time high. Even before I rechecked it, I had a gut feeling I was done for," she admitted.
On the last day of the Lunar New Year, she committed to dieting and went for an easy run. She followed that with fasted runs, weight training and other high-intensity workouts, and walked viewers through her meals. Han showed herself eating kim (seaweed), makhoe (raw fish) and multigrain rice with garlic and chili, saying, "You might ask whether I'm eating regular meals while dieting, but I'm giving myself small comforts to stay on track."
Han described a two-week routine of running, weight training and ballet combined with a controlled diet. "Dieting is a cycle of gaining and losing," she said. "What matters is the effort to return to a healthy routine when you slip. Even if you gain weight, don't give up."
The video prompted both criticism and envy online, with comments such as, "What exactly got fat?" and "She's 177 cm; 58 kg is totally skinny."
Han debuted at the 1999 Seoul International Fashion Collection and quickly rose to become one of South Korea's top models. She has appeared on numerous TV shows, often making headlines for revealing strict body-management methods. Last year on the KBS variety show "Rooftop Room's Problem Children," she startled viewers by saying she eats ramen so rarely — maybe once or twice a year — that it surprised many.
Reporter Lee Soo-min, TenAsia danbilee19@tenasia.co.kr
