Kim Young-hee asks weight-loss student, 'Did you use Mounjaro?'

From 138kg to 66kg. A 22-year-old college student revealed an incredible transformation, having lost a whopping 72kg, yet confessed she is still afraid of standing in front of people. While the number on the scale has changed dramatically, her inner confidence has not yet kept pace with the physical change.

On the July 7 broadcast of KBS 2TV's 'Malja Show,' a 22-year-old college student studying pet management appeared to share her concerns. She successfully lost 72kg, dropping from 138kg to 66kg, but confessed, "I am still embarrassed to stand in front of people, and I can't do it properly because I'm afraid others will look at me strangely."

The reason she decided to lose weight was unexpectedly related to human relationships rather than weight itself. She explained that as she suddenly drifted away from her friends, she began to wonder, "Is it because of my weight?" After that, she made up her mind and began a rigorous diet.

However, even after her weight dropped significantly, the feeling of being self-conscious did not easily disappear. A change in physical appearance does not simultaneously erase long-held self-perceptions and the fear of how others perceive you.

Watching this, Kim Young-hee instead pointed out the issue of human relationships. She supported the student's recovery of self-esteem, saying in essence, "If a relationship is meant to end because of weight, it was a relationship that should have ended in the first place."

Kim also asked, "Usually, when you lose weight after being heavy, you gain confidence you didn't have before. Why has your confidence decreased?" It was a question implying that rather than using weight loss as the sole criterion for success, how one accepts their life after the loss is more important.

Upon seeing the photos taken before the diet, Kim was greatly surprised. Because the difference between her current appearance and the past photos was so vast, she reacted by saying, "You are a completely different person."

Then, Kim's signature blunt speaking style followed. She jokingly suspected the possibility of medical treatment, which has been at the center of recent weight loss trends, asking, "What did you use to lose it? Did you get diet injections?" The broadcast even added humorous captions such as, "Grandma Malja didn't benefit from obesity treatment drugs."

However, the audience's answer was unexpected. The student explained that she lost the weight through diet management alone, not through drugs or procedures, prompting Kim to say, "Tell me how to do it after the show ends," which turned the studio into a sea of laughter.

The 72kg loss carries a meaning beyond simple weight change. In particular, the process of a person in their early 20s changing their lifestyle habits over a long period and reducing their weight to less than half likely required significant self-control and continuous effort. However, the individual's method of weight loss mentioned on the show should not be accepted as a general method applicable to everyone.

The more interesting point was actually after the weight loss. Generally, the narrative of weight loss is easily consumed through the formula of "losing weight and regaining confidence," but this story showed that this formula does not always hold true.

A time lag can exist between changes in the body and changes in self-perception. For someone who has been conscious of others' gazes due to their weight for a long time, past memories and anxieties may not easily disappear even after the number on the scale changes. Losing 72kg does not mean the 72kg of mental burden disappears automatically.

For this reason, the advice Kim gave during the broadcast was closer to a message about human relationships than simple encouragement for dieting. She suggested that if a relationship drifts apart because of someone's appearance, it is necessary to re-examine that relationship itself.

Actress Jung Young-ju also appeared on the broadcast to offer advice to boost the student's confidence. Jung showed her characteristic charisma while discussing how she earned the nickname "World Mother-in-law" due to the actors she worked with as a mother-in-law in recent works such as 'Lovely Runner,' 'Business Proposal,' and 'Miss Night and Day.'

Ultimately, the core of the story was not the numbers reduced from 138kg to 66kg. It was the heart of a young person who, even after an amazing physical transformation, had to say, "I am embarrassed to stand in front of people."

Kim's joke, "Did you use Mounjaro?" was a highlight of laughter on the show, but the story behind it was by no means light. Losing weight and changing the way one views oneself are two entirely different matters. The 72kg change shown on 'Malja Show' ultimately asks how long the process of accepting one's new self truly takes.