I.O.I's Choi Yoo-jung Reveals Agency Pressured Her to Diet: "I Was Normal Weight During My Growth Years, but They Told Me to Lose Weight, So I Secretly Took Diet Pills" (Annyeonghase-mi)

[Sportschosun Kim So-hee] Comedian Park Sae-mi met with former I.O.I member Choi Yoo-jung and had an honest conversation about their dieting experiences and the hardships that came with them.

On the 4th, a video titled "Idols Live the Same Way Too (ft. Choi Yoo-jung)" was released on the YouTube channel Annyeonghase-mi. In the video, Park Sae-mi visited Choi Yoo-jung's home in person, shared a meal with her, and continued their candid conversation in a relaxed atmosphere.

During the meal, Park Sae-mi cautiously admitted her fear of being judged for her appearance and said, "I once took diet pills in my 20s."

Choi Yoo-jung responded in agreement, saying, "I took them before too," naturally deepening the conversation.

Park Sae-mi went on to say, "People know much more now about how dangerous those pills are, but that wasn't the case back then. I thought it was a good deal because they suppressed my appetite, so I took them."

She also shocked viewers by confessing, "One day, I was supposed to stay at a hotel with a friend, and while I was showering, I suddenly felt like someone was outside the door trying to hurt me. It wasn't a ghost. It felt like someone was watching me and trying to harm me." She added, "That was the side effect for me. It caused delusions and hallucinations."

Choi Yoo-jung also carefully opened up about her trainee days. She said, "The company told me to lose weight, so I tried taking the pills. I was a normal weight and still growing, but they kept telling me to slim down, so I was desperate enough to take them." She added that she took them in secret from the company.

"I had side effects like dry mouth, bad breath, a racing heart, nausea, and dizziness. It really seems dangerous," she added, sharing how difficult that time was.

Kim So-hee, yaqqol@sportschosun.com