Park Min Young is once again attracting attention not for his acting, but for his alarming physical condition. Recent reports revealed that the actress has adopted an extreme weight loss method for her upcoming drama “The Siren’s Kiss”. According to online discussions, Park Min Young consumed only 3 liters of water a day and barely ate solid foods to maintain an extremely slim figure, so slim that it left many fans deeply concerned. Promotional materials for the drama show her gaunt, frail and visibly exhausted.
To be honest, its appearance perfectly reflects her character Han Seol Ah, a lonely woman haunted by her past and trapped in a cycle of painful events. Park Min Young described Seol Ah as someone who has suffered severe emotional trauma, gradually losing connection with the world and even his basic appetite. The character survives mostly in water and occasionally turns to alcohol during his lowest moments. In an effort to portray the role authentically, Park Min Young would mirror that lifestyle by relying heavily on water intake.
This isn’t the first time the actress has put her health at risk for a role. During “Marrying my husband”he shocked audiences by reducing his weight to just 37kg to convincingly portray a cancer patient. She drastically limited her diet and reportedly supported herself mostly on ionic drinks during filming.
The production team decided to shoot the most physically demanding scenes first, including the character’s death scene, so that he wouldn’t have to maintain such a dangerously low weight for long. After completing those scenes, she was given about two weeks to rest and gain back about 5kg to help her body recover.
While dedication to one’s craft is admirable, many viewers believe that repeatedly pushing one’s body to such extremes can lead to long-term physical and mental consequences. Park Min Young’s increasingly fragile appearance has raised an urgent question: Does an actor really need this “punish” their body to demonstrate commitment to a role?
Unfortunately, she’s not the only celebrity to face such scrutiny. Chinese actress Wu Jinyan has become a subject of concern after viewers noticed facial asymmetry during close-up scenes in a drama. Speculation intensified during a live stream when the audience observed noticeable swelling under his jaw. Some online users have even suggested the possibility of unhealthy weight loss interventions, including controversial methods that were previously banned in China due to serious health risks.
Actor Huang Xiaoming also admitted to going on an extreme diet for the film “The wig.” He revealed it he lost almost 15 kg in just one month by surviving mostly on vegetable juices, including carrot juice, bitter melon juice, cucumber with spinach juice and pure cucumber juice. By drinking about a bowl of each a day, he reduced his weight to less than 65kg. However, he later confessed that the rapid weight loss led to malnutrition and took a toll on his heart.
Likewise, Luo Yunxi sparked concern in 2021 when photos showed him in a wheelchair, excessively thin and fatigued. The actor had reportedly started losing weight in 2020 to fit in aesthetics of historical dramatic rolesbelieving in the slimmer physique would look better under heavy costumes and makeup. However, a prolonged restrictive diet is said to have weakened her health, reigniting debates over body standards in the entertainment industry.
Artistic dedication deserves respect. But when the price to pay is physical and mental well-being, the conversation must change.
Perhaps it’s time for actresses like Park Min Young to stop and for the industry to reconsider the harsh beauty expectations that silently push artists to extreme measures. Talent and longevity are built on healthy foundations. No role, no matter how significant, should require sacrificing one’s body at this point.
Sources: K14
