Ji-yoon Park joins IU's egg diet, calling it 'natural Wegovy'

A simple diet mentioned by singer and actress IU is drawing significant attention after broadcaster Ji-yoon Park referred to it as a "natural Wegovy." As the combination of boiled eggs and olive oil is introduced as a way to maintain satiety, celebrity wellness routines are once again becoming a major public interest.

On the 21st, Park released a video on her SNS story with the caption, "Starting today with olive oil on an empty stomach!" In the video, she pours olive oil into a glass, drinks it in one gulp, and then places half a boiled egg on a dish drizzled with a small amount of olive oil.

Introducing the meal, Park described it as, "This is exactly the natural Wegovy diet." Rather than implying the same medical effects as the obesity treatment Wegovy, the comment is interpreted as a metaphor for how the meal helps suppress her appetite.

The scene caught even more attention due to remarks made by IU just a day prior. During a movie stage greeting held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul on the 20th, IU reportedly said, "If you eat two boiled eggs with plenty of olive oil drizzled over them, you won't feel hungry all day."

With a similar diet appearing again within just one day, the regimen is already being dubbed the "IU Diet." Given that both IU and Park have strong public images regarding weight management, this simple combination of ingredients could quickly evolve into a trending lifestyle phenomenon.

However, it is important to distinguish that the expression "natural Wegovy" is purely metaphorical. Wegovy is a prescription drug containing semaglutide, a GLP-1 class medication that affects appetite and food intake. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides various warnings for Wegovy and related drugs, including risks of gastrointestinal symptoms, kidney damage, hypersensitivity, and specific ophthalmic complications.

In contrast, boiled eggs and olive oil are not medicines. While eggs provide protein and olive oil contains fat—which can help with satiety when consumed with other foods—it would be misleading to suggest they possess the same pharmacological actions as Wegovy.

Furthermore, the personal experience of "not being hungry all day" can vary significantly between individuals. Satiety depends on various factors, including portion sizes, activity levels, existing eating habits, and food combinations.

Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for a celebrity's comment to spark a diet trend. What stars eat for breakfast or how they manage their weight has long been a subject of public fascination, and in the era of SNS, these personal habits spread rapidly through short videos and posts.

This specific diet is particularly accessible due to its simplicity. Boiled eggs and olive oil are easy to find and require minimal preparation, making it easy for the public to imitate once it is branded as a "celebrity diet."

The challenge lies in the fact that simplicity does not equate to a universal health solution. Weight loss is determined by a complex interplay of total energy intake, nutritional balance, activity levels, and sleep, rather than the efficacy of a single food item.

Additionally, because the name "Wegovy" has become such a powerful symbol of weight loss, using the term "natural Wegovy" may blur the line between actual medication and food. The FDA emphasizes the importance of delivering accurate information regarding the safety and risks of GLP-1 class drugs.

Ultimately, this case highlights how a star's personal comment can transform into a consumption trend. IU's personal eating experience became a hot topic, and as Park reinterpreted it, a simple breakfast was transformed into viral content.

It is important to remember that a celebrity's diet is merely an individual's lifestyle choice. One should not mistake a metaphor borrowing a drug's name for actual medical efficacy.

The current "egg and olive oil" craze is less about the discovery of a new diet food and more about how a star's lifestyle is translated into the public's dietary language. As interest sparked by IU expands through Park's "natural Wegovy" comment, attention turns to whether this will become the next major celebrity diet trend.