I.O.I member Choi Yoo-jung revealed she once took diet pills during her trainee days — and bravely detailed the frightening side effects.
Recently, broadcaster-turned-YouTuber Park Sae-mi uploaded a video featuring Choi on her YouTube channel. The two had an unfiltered conversation about dieting, life as trainees, and how they managed their bodies.
During the chat, Park first opened up about taking diet pills in her 20s. Park said, "Back then, I didn’t really understand how dangerous it was. My appetite disappeared, so I thought it was actually a plus."
But the side effects were far worse than expected. Park recalled, "I was showering at a hotel when I suddenly felt like someone outside the door was staring and trying to hurt me." She added, "It didn’t actually happen — it was just me being delusional and imagining things. That was a side effect of the pills."
Hearing this, Choi shared her own experience. "When I was a trainee, my company told me to lose weight," she said. "I was at a normal weight and still growing, but I was told to slim down anyway."
Desperate, Choi admitted she started taking diet pills without telling the company. "I kept it a secret and took them quietly. I was so desperate that it ended up like that," she confessed.
The pills brought multiple side effects. "I had severe dry mouth, and it felt like a strange smell or taste kept rising up my throat. My heart would race, and I felt nauseous," Choi recalled.
Choi added that even when she weighed in the low 40 kg range (roughly 88–92 lbs), she still faced pressure to lose more — a revelation that left many heartbroken.
Meanwhile, Choi Yoo-jung debuted with I.O.I through Mnet’s Produce 101.