Ahn Jae Hyun aims for Brad Pitt's 'Fight Club' physique

Actor Ahn Jae Hyun has revealed an intense self-management routine, dedicating more than three hours to exercise every single day. While it was recently reported that he gained approximately 17kg for exposure scenes in a recent project, he is now embarking on serious body sculpting with the goal of emulating Brad Pitt in the movie 'Fight Club'.

On the 14th, Ahn revealed his daily life of starting the day with exercise through his YouTube channel. In the video, Ahn arrived at the gym around 8:40 AM and immediately began his workout. His decision to tackle abdominal exercises before starting full-scale weight training caught people's attention.

When asked how many abdominal exercises he does, he replied, "I do 1,000 a day." When the production team asked why he insists on completing exactly 1,000 repetitions, Ahn calmly explained, "Because my abs need to show. It's a simple principle."

While the number itself indicates significant intensity, the frequency of Ahn's workout routine is even more striking. When asked how many days a week he works out, he answered, "I come every day of the week." Rather than concentrating on specific days, he essentially visits the gym every single day.

According to Ahn, he starts exercising around 8:40 AM, combines weight training with cardio, and by the time he finishes showering and eating, it is around 2:30 PM. Including preparation, recovery, and meals, he is dedicating a significant portion of his day to building his body.

This aligns with his recent revelation that he gained 17kg for exposure scenes in a production. It is interpreted that he has moved beyond simply increasing the number on the scale to a stage of redesigning his muscle contours and body proportions based on that increased weight.

In the process, his lifestyle habits have also changed. Ahn, who mentioned he usually enjoys alcohol, confessed that his small joy in the past was "falling asleep while watching my favorite channel with a cold beer." However, he now says, "There is no room for beer. Honestly, I'm full." This explains how exercise and diet management have shifted his daily priorities.

He also did not hide his own satisfaction with the changes in his body. While exercising, Ahn looked into the mirror and gave a joking reaction, saying, "Hypnosis is slowly kicking in. There are times when a hypnosis makes me look handsome to myself." This is read as him experiencing a sense of achievement from his workouts as he confirms his changed appearance caused by the weight gain.

The figure Ahn presented as his ultimate goal is Brad Pitt. To be precise, it is the lean yet sharply defined muscular physique shown by Brad Pitt in the film 'Fight Club', directed by David Fincher and released in 1999.

The body Brad Pitt showcased in 'Fight Club' is far from a simple bulk-up type of muscle. It is a form close to what is called 'slim muscle,' which clearly reveals the contours of the shoulders, chest, abdomen, and arms while keeping body fat low. At the time, his appearance in the film became a cultural icon in conjunction with the work's intense mise-en-scène, and it has since become a recurring benchmark in the body management of male actors.

Ahn's trainer also described the goal as "muscles that are not excessive but are beautifully balanced for anyone to see." However, Ahn's ambition was slightly greater. He said, "I want to look bigger."

Ultimately, the direction Ahn is pursuing is not simple weight loss or muscle mass increase. It is a method of expanding the external foundation of his body through a 17kg weight gain, and then simultaneously adjusting muscle definition and body proportions through abdominal, weight, and cardio exercises. For an actor, the body is not just about appearance but is a means of expression that determines the plausibility of a character and the persuasiveness of the screen, so this carries significant meaning as a physical transformation for his work.

Ahn is an actor who originally started as a model, meaning his physical image was imprinted on the public relatively early on. He has worked across various genres including romance, fantasy, and comedy through works such as 'My Love from the Star', 'Blood', 'Cinderella with Four Knights', 'The Beauty Inside', and 'Human Disqualification'. Unlike the easygoing and quirky charm he shows through variety programs, his ability to embody characters using his physique and atmosphere has served as a major asset in his acting works.

For him, the recent weight gain and muscle strengthening hold more meaning than simple image management. This is because it connects to expanding his territory as an actor, moving beyond the existing impression built on a slim physique to actively changing his physical condition for his roles.

In particular, the routine of 1,000 ab exercises a day and working out seven days a week emphasizes the process rather than just the result. This is not a body built in a short period, but one that requires the accumulation of long-term repetition, discipline, and changes in dietary habits. Ahn's use of the word "hypnosis" when looking at his changed reflection in the mirror can be seen as a way of personally confirming the results of this rigorous self-management.

Interest is mounting to see how Ahn's physical transformation, which began with a 17kg weight gain, will ultimately be completed. The point he chooses between appropriate muscle mass and sharp abdominal definition will inevitably be tied to his characters. His current standard is clear: not an excessively massive body, but balanced muscles with sharply defined abs.

Attention is focused on whether Ahn's challenge, aimed at achieving Brad Pitt's look in 'Fight Club', will serve as a turning point for building a new image as an actor.