Several K-pop idols have been known to undergo extreme strict diets, often due to the industry’s pressures for thinness and idealized body standards. Diets are, unfortunately, a common part of life for many K-Pop idols, with some sharing stories of extreme restrictions to meet industry standards. The pressure to achieve these high beauty standards can be intense, causing significant stress for those who feel they don’t fit the mold. Here are five K-Pop idols who have endured extreme strict diets—approaches we definitely wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Through this article , we [LoopSocial] will provide you with information that is available from reliable sources.
Idols who underwent strict diet
IU [ LEE JI EUN ]
IU once shared details about the extreme diet she followed for a time, which unfortunately led to YouTubers and others attempting to replicate it. The talented idol first felt pressure to lose weight at just 15 years old, after a hurtful comment from someone in the audience during her solo debut in 2008 called her a “pig.”
Motivated by that moment, she began a highly restrictive diet, which she described on Night of TV Entertainment in 2013. Known as the “MyProAna” diet—its name alone hinting at pro-anorexia communities—it involved an apple for breakfast, one or two sweet potatoes for lunch, and a protein shake for dinner. Side effects included weakness, fainting, and an overall feeling of unwellness due to the diet’s restrictive nature.
Fortunately, IU later recognized the harm this diet was doing to her body and chose to stop, seeking guidance from professionals to develop a healthier eating routine. These extreme diets that some K-Pop idols have tried should never be emulated, as there are far safer and more sustainable ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
MOMO ( TWICE )
Pre-debut images of Momo make it hard to imagine she’d ever need to diet, yet she faced one of the most extreme diet challenges in the K-Pop industry. Before her debut, JYP Entertainment required her to lose 15 pounds in just one week—a near-impossible and unhealthy demand.
For that week, Momo consumed only ice cubes and spent hours at the gym. She later shared that she feared for her life, suffering from severe dehydration and sleepless nights, worried she might not wake up. Even with these extreme measures, Momo couldn’t reach the 15-pound goal within a week and was granted three more days to try.
Her fellow members were alarmed by her pale appearance and feared she might faint at any moment. Thankfully, Momo no longer has to maintain such drastic weight loss, and today she shines with a fit, healthy, and radiant look!
JIMIN ( BTS )
Jimin isn’t the only BTS member who has faced challenges with weight and dieting, but his experience may have been the most extreme. In 2018, he revealed that he had lost significant weight from over-exercising and following a dangerous diet. This was during the “Blood Sweat & Tears” era, and the other members grew very concerned as Jimin began fainting during practice sessions.
His “diet” at the time? Eating only one meal across a 10-day period. Jimin opened up about this on Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, explaining that he didn’t like his “chubby” look, likely referring to his naturally fuller cheeks. Even though his fellow members encouraged him to join them for meals, he declined, pushing himself to continue despite the toll it was taking on his health.
Fortunately, Jimin hasn’t attempted such an extreme diet since, and we hope he now feels confident and happy with his incredible visuals and physique just as they are!
T.O.P (Big Bang)
T.O.P. is another male idol who has faced intense pressure to lose weight, largely due to expectations from YG Entertainment. As a trainee, he was considered above the “acceptable” weight for an idol and was told he could only debut after reaching the company’s ideal weight. This led T.O.P. to adopt a restrictive and unhealthy diet, consisting only of unsweetened jelly, mineral water, and occasionally red beans as a snack.
Alongside this diet, he worked out excessively every day. While he eventually met the company’s weight requirements, the approach was neither healthy nor sustainable.
Xiumin (EXO)
While extreme dieting may often be associated with female K-Pop idols, many male idols have faced similar challenges—including Xiumin. Since his debut, he endured harsh criticism about his weight, leading to struggles with rapid weight changes, or “yo-yoing.” During EXO’s Growl promotions in 2013, Xiumin undertook his most extreme diet: the “coffee diet.”
This involved eating just one meal every other day and consuming large amounts of coffee to accelerate weight loss. He dropped to his lowest weight during that period but thankfully returned to a healthier weight afterward. Since then, he has spoken out against skipping meals as a method for weight loss.
