(TW) Billie and Oh My Girl members talk about intense diet regulations set up by their agencies

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

On Jan 6th, the 23rd episode of the web entertainment show “Is Jjung’s home empty?” hosted by Oh My Girl‘s Hyo-jung and Binnie?’ was released on the YouTube channel DUM DUM STUDIO.

New girl group Billie members Moon Soo-ah and Soo-hyun, who appeared as guests of the episode, were excited, saying it was their first time eating meat in a really long time.

Oh My Girl's Binnie then recalled her early debut days and said she feels sorry for her juniors and that the Billie members had not been able to eat meat for a long time due to their diet. Binnie also confessed that her agency prevented her from going to the mart. Billie members also agreed, saying that they were limited from going to the mart even before their debut.

However, Binnie said, “It’s all useless,” adding, “Even if the agency doesn’t restrict us, we will realize that later and manage it by ourselves”.

Hyo-jung, who was hearing from the side, also nodded at Binnie‘s words and confessed that the agency even told her the weight that she should not exceed.

Hyo-jung, known to be 158cm tall, said she would be scolded if she exceeded 44kg, adding that she had to lose weight if she exceeded the allowed weight. Binnie on the other hand is 161cm tall and only weighed 42kg.

Moon Soo-ah and Soo-hyun were greatly surprised by the revelation of the Oh My Girl members and that they were forced to be thin.

In response, Hyo-jung and Binnie reassured their juniors, saying, “(But) we have never kept that weight restriction,” drawing laughter.

sources: kbizoom.com, insight.co.kr, DUM DUM Studio

Comments

[xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com]

I do not understand the need to be under 100 pounds. Yes idols are usually required to be slim but that is ridiculous and developmentally so bad and unsustainable.

It's also be proved so many times that fans prefer more filled out figures. Hani from EXID, members from Secret, etc.

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

Hani lost a ton of weight after she went viral tho

[xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com]

true. but I thought the fancam went viral because of her figure being praised.

[vanilla-09.livejournal.com]

But it's very wishy washy because like on one hand female (and male idols I would argue bc some girlies complain when a man is slightly muscular or buff) are always asked to be super skinny but then where hip, butt and breast pads but then you have "curvier" singers like Luna and Hani and they get shit for it so *oprahwhatisthetruth.gif

[xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com]

true true. there is no winning. So frustrating. I hate it.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

tbh i dont think idols main reason to lose weigh is pleasing fans .. its way deeper than that

after all eating disorders are self destructive behaviour. a prime example of self-hatred. its not about fans disliking idols but about idols disliking themselves.

the big problem here is those idols mental state and the amount of pressure/hate they have to endure on a daily basis no matter how fragile or depressed they are. Eating disorders are also a coping mechanism (specially in such a controling and restricted enviroment like idols life style)

i would say kpop standards trigger all idols but specially those with self-loathing tendencies and push them into all those unhealthy habits.

fans approval would be a plus but lets be real most kpop fans have no standards and they eat up anything kpop agencies sells them no matter how unhealthy or underweight idols look in photocards

[xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com]

Very good points.


You mentioned about the idol using diets to be self destructive and may be the idols only form of control over their lives (and pointing out the mental issues idols face that could lead to EDs).

I think it's also possible that companies use dieting restrictions similar to the way cults use diet to control their idols. I recently watched PsychIRL/Internet Impact's youtube video on Cult of David Dobrick. It talked a bit about how cults use diets to weaken/indoctrinate members. https://youtu.be/xaAh556nD7E I can definitely see companies doing this.

I think Momo mentioned it once (or maybe it was another female idol) that the company wanted them to lose 5 pounds in a week to show they were committed to being an idol. Considering female idols are already ypically underweight, this is insane! Momo (or the other idol) ate only ice cubes all week to hit the target weight. I think it was less about the weight and more about the company being able to control the idol and the idol "proving" they were dedicated.

Weaker idols definitely make it easier for companies to do what the want with them.

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

It was Momo.

[xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com]

thanks for the confirmation! Over the years, idols and stories start to blur together. So I have a vague recollection of potentially who and what but am never 100%.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

omg yeah ..

i remember momo talking about how she only ate ice cubes for a week to be ready for twice debut but she was still afraid ice cubes would make her gain weight.
its probably one of the most shocking idols "diets" we have heard in a while

the saddest part was how casually momo spoke about it on vlive, like starving for a week was normal. i remember some girl tried to avoid she kept talking or giving more details but most of them seemed so used to this "i need to lose weight, i will stop eating" talk 😵

Its always disturbing to listen how idols talk about their unhealthy habits without even notice

[xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah! The casualness of discussing ridiculous eating habits/dieting and essentially disordered eating is crazy to me. But I think it goes back to the idol being proud for "accomplishing" the diet or being "dedicated" enough to reach whatever weight/weight loss goal. In their minds, it's not unhealthy. It's a good thing. After idol life, I think a fair few are going to need to see nutritionist/get mental help to reverse this thinking.

I've enjoyed seeing some female idols who, after leaving girl groups, seem to get healthier. Tiffany from SNSD comes to mind. In SNSD she was always drastically underweight to match with the rest of the girls (she had bigger hip/bones which made her look wider but girl, that's your skeleton, you can't change it!). I think after she left SM she gained some weight back and now looks much more healthy. I also remember Hyuna posted on instagram a picture of her weight/scale when she left Cube and was purposefully trying to gain weight.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the trigger warnings OP, I really think it's needed.
It makes me want to cry because I have roughly the same height as Binnie, and I was definitively not healthy when I was under 50kg. And I was never as physically active as idols need to be just to perform their songs...
And it's even worse knowing how much JinE stuggled with it before leaving Oh My Girl, and that their company tried to use her hiatus/her eventually leaving as proof that they paid attention to the members and tried to help with the problems they nutured in the first place.
Every once in a while we get this kind of article, since companies think it's good publicity to show their idols dedication to staying as thin as possible, but it's always as damaging and upsetting. And discouraging too because what could I ever do about it, except distancing myself so kpop doesn't influence my own relationship with food/weight anymore?

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

I've said it plenty of times before but I don't understand why companies don't work together with professional nutritionist. Idols are more active than the average person with performances and constant dance practices. They'll naturally stay fit and slim so at least let them eat in peace and be on a healthy diet. Instead they pressure them to lose weight on their own with starving and extreme workouts.

[kyungwons.livejournal.com]

companies don’t care about their health, diets like this aren’t just about keeping their appearance a certain way but imo it’s about asserting control over them too

[foxmadperson.livejournal.com]

i’m reminded of jine.. its things like this that makes me not want to listen to kpop anymore especially bc i only like girl groups and i know they are all starving themselves. i’m not even gonna lie it’s affecting my own body image issues too.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

It totally affected my body image as well, I think I would have struggled anyway but it made it so much deeper and hard to get out of it. It's still hard somedays. I hope you find a way to protect yourself. Take care <3

[foxmadperson.livejournal.com]

thank u so much, i hope u do too! 💗

[996677.livejournal.com]

i relate to this comment a lot. i hope you’re ok!

[foxmadperson.livejournal.com]

thank you i rlly appreciate it, i hope you too are doing okay

[camouflagecat.livejournal.com]

The way the kpop lense of viewing your body totally changed my perception of my body as well once I learned about it and now I have to actively work on turning that switch off so I wouldn't be so hard on myself. Crazy.

[aures.livejournal.com]

remembering JinE who had to leave the group bc she had such a severe ED she couldn't be an idol anymore. i'm really sad for all of them. i hope they are better off now

[mortkero.livejournal.com]

I'm coming in to read this after watching a dance practice video where the girls were shockingly thin, and just thinking there is no way they are not on some awful diet.

[chiives.livejournal.com]

i almost mistook binnie as dc's sua in that still lol.

anyway this reminds me of chocome's dance practice, seeing yeoreum's bare legs was really jarring.

also, wasn't it last month when astro moon bin vlogged about getting into the billlie fansign? he told the members that if they wanted snacks they should ask sua to buy them bc her cc was attached to his. knowing now that they weren't allowed to go to stores, let alone buy snacks, i wonder how the group felt. :/