Choi So-ra, a prominent figure in the Korean modeling industry, has garnered attention not only for her striking looks and successful career but also for her candid discussions about the extreme diets she has undertaken to meet the demands of the fashion world. Her experiences offer a glimpse into the pressures faced by models and the potential consequences of pursuing unhealthy weight loss methods. This article delves into Choi So-ra's past diet practices, the reactions they have provoked, and broader considerations about health, body image, and the modeling industry.
Extreme Dieting Practices
Choi So-ra has been open about the lengths she has gone to in order to maintain a certain physique for her work. In an interview with The Korea Times, she stated, "I love eating but I start fasting a month before the runway season arrives. I don't eat anything but only drink water. If I feel like I'm starving, I eat a little bit of banana." She also revealed in 2016 that she doesn't eat a single meal for four weeks every fashion week, raising concerns among her fans.
On an episode of 'Yoo Quiz on the Block,' Choi So-ra recounted the time she was canceled from a Louis Vuitton show the day before it was scheduled. She stated that she weighed the same, but they told her that she looked bloated. Driven by the fear of missing another opportunity, she adopted an even more drastic approach. She limited herself to only water for five weeks, dropping from 52 kg (~114lb) to 45 kg (~99lb).
Consequences and Recovery
Choi So-ra has been candid about the detrimental effects of her extreme dieting. She confessed, “My body was a mess, but they told me I looked pretty. I thought, how can a person live like this. I passed out more than 10 times a day, and it felt like someone was scratching me with sandpaper whenever someone touched me." She recounted fainting more than 10 times a day and experiencing acute pain even when someone touched her hand. In her Instagram post, Choi So Ra stated, “I know that if I lose weight like this, it’s detrimental to my health. An extreme diet is definitely bad for your health. During Fashion Week, my immunity becomes weak, and I get red dots all over my body. My skin also becomes really dry. I also get stress-induced intestinal inflammation, and I have a lot of cuts inside my mouth. I don’t have any energy either. I faint all the time.”
It took her two years to regain her health. Even after recovering, Choi So Ra stated, “But, my body never recovers back to its original state. Once your body is ruined, it’s really difficult to reverse the effects.”
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Reactions and Controversy
Choi So-ra's revelations about her diet have sparked mixed reactions. Some have expressed concern and support for the model, acknowledging the pressures she faces in the fashion industry. Others have criticized her choices, arguing that such extreme measures promote unhealthy body image and disordered eating.
Some netizens reacted to the broadcast with support for the model and expressed their relief, saying, “You look so much better now,” “This modeling world is just crazy,” and “Look at these pictures."
There is a debate about whether discussing such diets, even with a disclaimer about their harmfulness, can be seen as endorsing them. Some argue that honesty about the practices within the industry is valuable, while others worry that it could normalize or even glamorize dangerous behaviors.
A Broader Perspective on Diet and Body Image
Choi So-ra's experiences highlight the intense pressure on models to maintain a specific body type. Many fashion designers prefer very skinny runway models, as they believe skinny figures convey their clothes best. In order to stand out in the increasingly competitive modeling industry, models undergo extreme diets to become skinnier.
It is important to note that the concept of eating disorders may be perceived differently across cultures. Some argue that the lack of awareness or recognition of eating disorders in certain cultures might influence attitudes towards dieting and body image.
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Healthy Alternatives and Advice
In her Instagram post, Choi So Ra also shared advice to those who want to lose weight, “Never starve yourself to lose weight. Reduce your portion sizes, reduce your snacks, and move around a lot. Also, don’t make resolutions for the short term, and instead, make them long term. Dieting for a few days won’t help you lose weight. Starving yourself for a few days won’t help you lose weight. Your weight has decreased? That doesn’t mean you’ve lost fat, it just means you lost water weight. Everyone, I’m someone who is a model for my job. I’m not a normal person. That’s why dieting is necessary for me. You don’t have to lose weight like me.”
Other Korean celebrities have shared their diet plans, which focus on balanced meals and portion control. These include:
- IU: One apple for breakfast, one sweet potato for lunch, and a cup of protein shake for dinner.
- Bae Suzy: One sweet potato, chicken breast, and low-fat milk for breakfast, brown rice and salad for lunch, and two sweet potatoes for dinner.
- Soyou: One sweet potato for breakfast, three boiled eggs and a piece of bread for lunch, and three slices of gimbap for dinner.
- Kang So-ra: One apple and a cup of yogurt for breakfast, a bowl of pumpkin porridge and a Korean meal (mainly vegetables with brown rice) for lunch, and one sweet potato, lettuce, and a piece of bread for dinner.
- Kang Min-kyung: One sweet potato, a cup of low-fat milk, and chicken breast salad for breakfast, one apple and two sweet potatoes for lunch, and a cup of low-fat milk, three cherry tomatoes, and one sweet potato for dinner.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP