Park Ji-hyun, left, and Sung Si-kyung / Screenshot from Sung's YouTube channel

Actor Park Ji-hyun has revealed that she lost 30kg through intense dieting. She also showed Sung Si-kyung her past photos, piquing curiosity.

Park appeared as a guest on Sung's YouTube channel, Friday. In the video, she said, "I go on a diet a lot. I used to weigh much more. I have been dieting my whole life. Before I turned 20, I weighed 78kg to 80kg (176 pounds)."

Sung then asked, "What's the biggest amount of ramen you've eaten in one sitting?" Park responded, "I prefer jajang ramen (black bean sauce ramen) over regular ramen. I once ate six packs. Even now, if I decide to indulge, I can eat three to four."

Park emphasized the importance of finding an enjoyable exercise routine. "I now have a solid diet strategy. You need to find a workout you genuinely like. I do ballet," she said. "When I put on my ballet outfit and stand in front of the mirror, I feel like a ballerina. That feeling makes me train even harder."

Having lost 30kg from her heaviest weight, Park stressed the significance of diet management. She cited cutting out carbohydrates and sodium while focusing on protein as the key to her success. "I don't eat rice. I don't like it. I also don't like bread or noodles. But I love fruit," she said, adding, "I can't resist confectionery, though. I eat confectionery instead of rice, which doesn't make much sense."

Park recalled how her weight fluctuated while preparing for a role. "I once played a cancer patient and lost a drastic amount of weight for the role. After filming, I went on a two-month vacation to the U.S. and gained over 10kg. I mostly ate Korean food. For me, Korean food leads to weight gain. I love stews," she said.

Park revealed that her favorite food is chocolate. "My high school had 11 periods, starting from zero period. I used to buy 12 chocolate bars before school and eat one per period. I still ate lunch separately and ordered delivery with my friends for dinner. To meet the minimum delivery amount, we had to order four sets, and we finished everything," she said, drawing laughter.

Later, Park received past photos from her friends in a group chat. "They sent me 26 photos. You have to look at them alone," she said to Sung, laughing. After seeing them, Sung commented, "You do look different. I can't post these." As Park appeared embarrassed, he reassured her, saying, "You were a healthy and pretty high school student," wrapping up the conversation on a warm note.

Meanwhile, Park garnered attention for explicit scenes and emotional acting in the film "Hidden Face," released in November last year. In January, she starred alongside Choi Si-won in "Forbidden Fairytale."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.