According to The Korea Timesat luxury jewelry brand Bulgari’s launch event for its 2026 Eclettica High Jewelry Collection in Milan on March 28, actress Kim Ji Won appeared in a long dress featuring a sapphire tone, with a form-fitting, tube-top design highlighting her upper body.

Viewers noted her extremely thin frame, with visible chest and rib bones, as reported by Chosun Bizwhile some said they “barely recognized her.”

While many attributed the change to styling, lighting, or camera angles, others saw it as part of a broader shift toward ultra-thin beauty standards in the entertainment industry.

The trend has also been observed in other actresses. Go Hyun Jung, also the Miss Korea 1989 runner-up titleholder, reportedly began losing a significant amount of weight toward the end of 2024. In December of that year, she was hospitalized after collapsing and was taken to the emergency room just two hours before a scheduled press conference for her drama “Namib.”

“Go Hyun Jung collapsed in the morning and went to the emergency room,” her agency said at the time. “She had not been well for some time and had collapsed on set several times.”

According to The Chosun Dailyextreme weight loss among actresses is often linked to both industry demands and societal beauty standards in South Korea. Pressure surrounding women’s weight has long been prevalent, with Dazed magazine reporting that celebrities who do not meet the thin ideal frequently face public criticism and fat-shaming. In one widely cited example, a 15-year-old member of the K-pop group Pristin faced online harassment, with commenters saying she was “too chubby to be an idol.”

Many female celebrities have also spoken about undergoing strict diets and intense exercise regimens to maintain a certain image. Singer Ailee, for instance, once revealed she consumed only 500 calories a day to lose 10 kg, reaching a weight of 49 kg at a height of 1.66 meters.

For some performers, such transformations are deliberate and tied to their work. Actress Park Min Young shared that while filming the 2024 drama “Marry My Husband,” she reduced her weight to 37 kilograms by consuming only sports drinks.

South Korean actress Park Min Young. Photo from Park’s Instagram

The increasingly extreme nature of these efforts has sparked concern among online audiences, and reactions remain divided. Some praise the actresses’ dedication to their craft, viewing the physical changes as a sign of professionalism and artistic commitment.

Others, however, have raised concerns about the potential health risks and the message such images may send, particularly to younger audiences.

Many commenters have also expressed nostalgia for what they describe as the actresses’ earlier, healthier appearances, arguing that evolving industry standards may be pushing performers toward unsustainable and potentially harmful ideals.