Cho Jung-seok's funny reason for weight gain: Eating his daughters' leftovers

Actor Cho Jung-seok shared a "bittersweet" parenting anecdote about gaining weight while cleaning up the leftover fried rice left by his two daughters.

On the 7th, a video was released on the YouTube channel 'Just Jingu,' featuring Cho Jung-seok and Yoon Kyung-ho sharing various stories with Jin Goo. Cho, who has begun losing weight in preparation for his next project, drew attention by appearing much slimmer than before.

As Jin Goo and Yoon Kyung-ho marveled, saying, "You really lost a lot," and "Your face looks completely different," Cho revealed why he started his diet. "The director told me he'd like me to lose weight during our meeting," he said, sharing his personal weight loss secret: "Running is the best. Cardio is king."

So, what was the reason for his weight gain during his hiatus? Surprisingly, Cho pointed to his two daughters.

"I gained some weight during my break after my second daughter was born," he explained, adding, "The kids love the fried rice I make for them." He continued, "If they don't finish it, isn't it a waste? I ended up finishing it all, which led to weight gain," drawing laughter.

Unable to bear wasting the food he carefully prepared for his children, he ended up eating it all, ultimately gaining weight. Beyond his professional self-management as an actor, this moment revealed the image of an ordinary father who diligently clears the plates for his daughters.

Cho also revealed the secret to his "Dad-style fried rice" that captured his daughters' taste buds. While it wasn't a complex recipe, he cited sesame oil as his personal "kick," saying, "I don't think Mom puts it in. So, I don't tell them that I'm the one adding it," which brought more laughter.

He also showed a subtle sense of competition as a father. "Sometimes I ask the kids, 'Is the fried rice Dad makes better, or the one Mom makes?'" Cho boasted, noting that they reply, "Dad's fried rice.""

He also shared glimpses of his daily life with his two daughters. "I tie their hair and play princess with them. Sometimes I become a prince or a cartoon character," he said. "That kind of vibe has somehow become a part of me."

This suggests that instead of just time spent in front of a camera, the time spent tying hair and being a playmate at his children's eye level has become deeply ingrained in his daily life.

Recently, he shared that his daughters are huge fans of the group AKMU. Cho revealed, "Whenever they see me, they dance to 'Love Scenario,'" and mentioned that he filmed his daughters and sent a video message to AKMU through his wife, Gummy.

In response, Lee Soo-hyun sent a reply video, which made the two daughters extremely happy. In Cho's effort to capture his children's small moments of joy and deliver them alongside his wife, one can see a man living as a devoted father before being a celebrity.

Although Cho has started running to lose weight, the reason for his previous weight gain was surprisingly simple: making the fried rice his children love and eating the leftovers because it felt like a waste. Ultimately, his weight gain was a testament to his love for his two daughters.

Cho married singer Gummy in 2018 and has two daughters. He is currently busy preparing for his next project, having recently confirmed his appearance in the new Netflix series 'Paperman.'