South Korea's entertainment industry is in the grip of a 'bone-thin' trend. Where toned muscles and a healthy glow once defined star power, jutting bones and razor-slim frames are now driving viral buzz. Some say it's a choice to fully inhabit a role, while others raise red flags about dangerous underweight—turning 'bone-thin' into an issue far beyond aesthetics.
The latest figure drawing attention is actor Kim Ji-won. In a video from an overseas jewelry event, Kim captivated with an elegant gown and a noticeably slimmer silhouette. While her neat, luxurious aura remained, fans split over the prominent collarbones and increasingly gaunt upper body visible with every move. Alongside praise like "unrivaled beauty," many voiced concern: "I'm worried about her health." Some speculate she lost weight for her next project, while others argue it comes down to styling and camera angles.
Actor Park Min-young, currently starring in the tvN drama Siren, has long been cited as a prime example of the 'bone-thin' look. She has repeatedly shared that she maintained an extremely disciplined lifestyle to portray her character's condition and emotions. To embody the character's emptiness and deterioration, she aligned her real-life routine with the role—confessing she kept only water and alcohol at home. She said she drank three liters of water a day and, at one point, drew attention for weighing 37 kg (about 82 lb). Although she said she returned to her usual self after filming wrapped, she remains a symbolic case walking the fine line between professionalism and extreme weight loss.
Singer Shinji also worried fans with a much thinner appearance, while actor Go Hyun-jung became a hot topic after reports of her drastic body changes and minimal eating. Go especially shocked the public by saying, in essence, "I'm hungry, but eating feels like a hassle," and by showing meals of just a few apple slices and puffed rice snacks. Given she has previously skipped official events due to health issues, public reaction moved beyond surface-level judgments to genuine concern.
The problem is this shift isn't just fleeting hype. Medical experts have long warned that being underweight can weaken the immune system, increase vulnerability to infectious diseases, and raise the risk of fractures. If teens—highly sensitive to appearance—embrace extreme thinness as an ideal modeled by stars, the likelihood of crash dieting or eating disorders rises. Internalizing body-image fixation during growth can lead to extreme weight-control behaviors well into adulthood.
Of course, for actors and singers, the body is also a professional tool. Some roles demand a sharp, hollow presence, and some stars build powerful narratives through change itself. But when the process looks like excessive self-erasure, the public responds with both applause and worry in equal measure.