IT’S no secret that K-pop stars come under extreme pressure to look good for their fans, and recently Mamamoo’s Solar shared her own insight into the mental and physical toll that it takes.
Solar was answering fan questions via video stream, and when one fan asked how she managed her weight, she took the opportunity to talk about the challenges she faces as an artist.
Last year, Solar famously underwent a two-month long weight loss regime in order to prepare for a cover shoot for Men’s Health magazine, and she ended up losing almost 10% of her body fat, as well as building up some lean muscle.
Solar explained that she knows she has to manage herself in order to have a “good” appearance, but that it wasn’t as simple as maintaining her weight.
She said that if she gained any weight, she would be criticised as being “too fat”. However, if she loses too much weight, she’s also told she’s too skinny, making it almost impossible to find a middle ground.
Because of this, she does her best to try and satisfy both sides by keeping her weight in the middle, which is also a struggle.
Not only is this the reality for Solar, it’s also the norm for many celebrities to face negative backlash from the public for the slightest change to their weight or appearance.
Solar asked: “What are we supposed to do? I’m not allowed to lose or gain weight.”
Hopefully Solar’s explanation will give fans some food for thought, and they will be a little more considerate towards the feelings of celebrities, who – despite their glamorous careers – are just as human as the rest of us.
