Moon Geun-young / Captured from "You Quize on the Block"
"I've been on a diet for 18 years. Now I am done."
Having debuted at age 13, Moon Geun-young has spent a substantial part of her life on a diet. She's hardly the only one in an entertainment industry where, especially for female celebrities, being on a diet is considered a requirement. The standards of physical perfection in Korean society are incredibly high, and celebrities are constantly scrutinized by the unforgiving gazes of the media and public.
But now, some are successfully challenging the orthodoxy of beauty and making a clear statement to the world: They will no longer sacrifice themselves to fit standards imposed by others.
Moon Geun-young is one of those people. Making an appearance on tvN’s "You Quiz on the Block," she appeared visibly healthier than in recent years.
In 2017 she was diagnosed with acute compartment syndrome, a painful disease where much pressure builds up and disrupts the flow of blood to muscles and nerves. The period she spent coping with the rare disease, according to Moon, completely changed her perspective on how she should live — including letting go of her obsession with weight control.
"For the first time in my life, I ate popcorn while watching a movie. And I also ate jjajangmyeon," Moon said, referring to the popular dish of noodles with black bean sauce. Doctors told her she needed to eat whatever she wanted in order to recover quickly, ultimately ending her 18 years of dieting.
"Now I'm 40," Moon said, looking more comfortable and at ease. "As my body has grown bigger, my mind has found room to breathe. I want to spend my 40s having more fun."
Joining Moon is Kim Shin-young, once heralded as a symbol of weight-loss success by dropping to 44 kilograms and maintaining that weight for 13 years.
Kim has returned to the weight she maintained in her prime and says that true happiness is living with peace of mind. Behind her change of heart lies the death of her mentor, the late comedian Jeon Yoo-sung.
Source: Korea Times News
