Kim Min Ha stuns Jun Hyun-moo with 17kg weight loss

Actor Kim Min Ha's strikingly transformed appearance has once again become a hot topic. Having lost approximately 16 to 17kg over a period of about two years, she presented a look so different that even Jun Hyun-moo was surprised, remarking, “You are a completely different person.” However, what Kim actually wants to talk about is neither her weight nor her appearance. The reason she lost weight was mostly due to new roles, and what she desires as an actor is roles that delve into the human psyche rather than just having a 'pretty face.'

In the 6th episode of MBN and Channel S's 'No Plans At All,' which aired on the 7th, Kim appeared as a 'dining companion' to search for famous restaurants in Incheon with Jun Hyun-moo and KwakTube.

Upon meeting Kim, Jun immediately noticed her changed appearance.

“You really lost a lot of weight. Was it last year that we greeted each other at the Blue Dragon Series Awards? You are a completely different person,” he said.

Kim also acknowledged the change, saying, “I really did lose a lot of weight.” However, she expressed confusion regarding the intense public interest, which was greater than expected.

When Jun explained, “It's hot. In our country, if you say you did a severe diet, it becomes the talk of the town for a whole week,” Kim replied, “I was surprised too. I wondered why this was such a big deal.”

For her, the 17kg weight loss was not so much a special event as it was a process of preparing for works as an actor.

Previously, Kim revealed in an interview related to the film 'Hana Korea' that she had lost about 16 to 17kg over approximately two years.

In particular, it was not a case of rapidly reducing weight in a short period.

Kim explained, “It is weight I lost over a total of two years. Not just the known works, but the works following them also involve roles where I have to lose a lot of weight. Almost 90% of it is because of the roles.”

Therefore, this weight loss was closer to a process where the actor physically embodied the external conditions of the character assigned to her, rather than a simple diet to groom her appearance.

To an actor, the body is not just a physical entity. Sometimes it is the most direct tool for building a character and a part of the narrative. In Kim's case, the change in weight was both a result of self-management and a result of her attitude toward her roles.

Interestingly, however, Kim shows a quite indifferent attitude toward her appearance.

When asked about the roles she wants to challenge in the future during the meal, Kim stated, “I want to try roles where a person's inner depths are revealed,” and added, “I want to act as a character filled with desire, like in 'Black Swan.'”

When Jun asked, “Are you not interested in romance acting?” Kim's answer was even clearer.

“I don't think I'm interested in roles where I have to be pretty.”

The actor, who drew attention by losing 17kg, stated that she is actually not interested in 'roles that make her look pretty.'

This statement succinctly shows the direction Kim pursues as an actor. Her interest lies not in how beautiful she looks in front of the camera, but in how deeply she can express the psychological cracks and desires of a character.

To Kim, an actor's face is not a fixed image but rather a variable tool that changes according to the character.

The same applies to her freckles, which are a representative external feature.

Jun praised her, saying, “If you search for 'Kim Min Ha' on portals, freckles come up. That is so charming.”

However, Kim was not someone who perceived her freckles as her trademark.

She recalled, “Since I was young, they never particularly bothered me or were something I worried about. It was only after I started this work that I heard many people say they are unique. At first, I thought, 'Why is this a problem?'”

In fact, Kim had accepted her face, which the public thought was special, as something ordinary.

This part creates a strange contrast with the perspective on 'an actor's appearance' that is repeatedly repeated in recent popular culture. An actor's face is often directly linked to marketability, and external elements such as weight, skin, and hairstyle are constantly subject to evaluation. However, Kim turns that gaze around.

Although she lost 17kg, she does not consume it as her own success story, and although she has freckles, she does not consider them a flaw that must be hidden.

Ultimately, what matters is not the body, but what is expressed with that body.

What Kim wants is ultimately placed in the same direction. Rather than a character who looks beautiful, she wants to act as a character who is shaken by desire, sometimes collapses, and penetrates into the deepest parts of a human being.