4 Korean actors who gained weight for their roles: The Squid Game’s gangster suffered side effects
The following Korean actors did not hesitate to sacrifice their image and health to gain weight so that they could suit their roles.
A flawless appearance and ideal body are not always criteria for a role. Many Korean actors had to gain weight on purpose to match the images of their characters.
1. Han So Hee – My Name
Recently, at the press conference of Netflix’s series My Name, Han So Hee caught the attention when she looked more curvy than usual. The actress shared that she gained 10kg for the role of Yoon Ji Woo – a member of an organized crime group, infiltrating the police force to investigate the death of her father in the drama.
Han So Hee revealed that she eats whenever she wants, and exercises a lot to gain weight without storing excess fat. Actor Park Hee Soon shared that the actress started training a month before them and gained a lot of muscle.
2. Heo Sung Tae – Squid Game
Following the global success of Squid Game, player No.101 Jang Deok Soo (played by Heo Sung Tae) has also received much attention from the public. In order to fit the image of a gangster with a rough appearance and a sturdy physique, Heo Sung Tae had to gain 17 kg in a month.
Gaining weight in such a short time has inevitably affected the actor’s health. He shared: “The muscles on my calf tore and my knees also hurt. Overall, my health got worse. I don’t encounter any health problems when I lose weight but I think I have to carefully consider if I am offered another role where I have to gain weight. I find gaining weight 3 times harder than losing weight.”
3. Lee Sung Kyung – Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Known for a gorgeous visual and skinny body, Lee Sung Kyung also once appeared looking a bit “chubby” on screen in the drama Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. To match the image of her character Kim Bok Joo – a weightlifter, the model-turned actress worked extremely hard to gain up to 5 kg. Lee Sung Kyung had to eat foods that are high in starch and follow a special exercise regime to gain the desired weight of the production crew. After this drama, Sung Kyung had to lose weight to get in shape again.
4. Lee So Jung – Plump Revolution
When it comes to actors with impressive weight gains for their roles, it is impossible not to mention Lee So Jung in Plump Revolution. True to the movie’s title, the actress had to gain 20 kg at once to take on the role of Do Ah Ra. Instead of using makeup techniques, Lee So Jung followed an extremely strict diet to gain weight. Lee So Jung reportedly changed to a menu containing 10,000 calories per day. She also ate a lot of sweets and greasy foods.
Source: K14
