Actress Kim Hee-jung Opens Up About Her Dramatic Weight Loss Journey

Actress Kim Hee-jung, 56, recently shared her journey of losing weight from 60kg to 40kg and her ongoing struggles with weight management.

On the October 12th episode of KBS2's variety show 'Problem Child in House,' Kim Hee-jung appeared as a guest alongside actress Park Jin-hee, her co-star from the KBS2 daily drama 'Red Pearl.'

During the show, Kim candidly discussed her current weight issues, stating, "These days, my concern is not gaining weight." Reflecting on her childhood, she said, "I was quite chubby back then, with a nickname '60kg' because that was my weight. Eating was my biggest joy, and I didn't worry much about my weight affecting my acting career."

However, a comment during a dinner gathering changed her perspective.

Kim recalled, "I was eating pork belly when the director suddenly asked, 'Don't you have any dreams?' implying that I shouldn't continue eating like that if I wanted to succeed. It was a shock." She added, "Back then, there was a strong expectation for actresses to be as thin as dolls or at least a size 44, which prompted me to start dieting."

Although she successfully lost weight, it led to another issue. "Once I started losing weight, it just kept dropping," she said. "By the time I was 45, I was below average weight, and now I'm about 2kg lighter than that."

When asked about the difference between her heaviest and current weight, Kim revealed, "There's about a 20kg difference." Fellow guest Hong Jin-kyung empathized, suggesting that her physically demanding roles might have contributed to her weight loss.

Born in 1970, Kim Hee-jung also revealed on the show that she is currently single, which caught viewers' attention. She shared, "I live with my nieces and nephews. When I go out with my nephew wearing a hat, people think he's my husband, and with my niece, they think she's my daughter." Kim also opened up about her family, saying, "After my brother passed away early, I've been living with my two nieces who are 10 years younger than me."

Reported by Na-yeon Jo, TenAsia nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr