Park Bo-gum reveals 11kg weight gain since 'Love in the Moonlight' era

Actor Park Bo-gum drew laughter by candidly revealing his current weight compared to 10 years ago. Park, who has long been called an 'icon of youth,' humorously confessed that even he cannot escape the passage of time.

In the KBS 2TV special variety program 'Moonlight Drawn by Clouds Again,' which aired its first episode on the 16th, Park Bo-gum reunited with Kim You-jung, Jinyoung, Chae Soo-bin, and Kwak Dong-yeon. The main stars of the drama 'Love in the Moonlight,' which gained massive popularity when it aired in 2016, reunited through a travel variety show about 10 years later, recreating their chemistry from that time.

On this day, after enjoying rafting in a river, the five actors gathered to share the lingering emotions of the trip while eating corn. In a natural atmosphere that confirmed their friendship continuing long after the series ended, various stories were exchanged regarding their recent lives and the changes brought by time.

In particular, Jinyoung's extraordinary appetite became the starting point of the conversation. As Jinyoung maintained a slim physique even while eating his third cob of corn, Park Bo-gum asked, "Hyung, how many kg are you?" Jinyoung replied that his weight was 66kg, and Park Bo-gum marveled, saying, "Hyung, you managed yourself so well."

This naturally led to the topic of Park Bo-gum's own weight. He said, "I was 65kg during the 'Moonlight' era. Now, it keeps going up—73, 74, 75kg." This explained that his weight had increased significantly over the approximately 10 years since he played the Crown Prince E-Young in 'Love in the Moonlight' in 2016.

When Kwak Dong-yeon laughed, saying "(the weight) keeps going up," Park Bo-gum made an even more honest confession than the figure he first revealed. He confessed, "Actually, I am 76kg," causing the cast to burst into laughter at the unexpected number. If he was 65kg back then and is 76kg now, it means he has gained 11kg by simple calculation.

However, it is difficult to interpret this solely as an external evaluation of 'gaining weight.' This is because physical conditions and activity patterns can change between 2016, when he was in his mid-20s, and the present, when he has entered his mid-30s. Especially since an actor's weight is a fluid area that changes depending on character settings, filming schedules, and exercise volume, one cannot conclude their current physique or health status based on numbers alone.

After starting his acting career with the 2011 film 'Blind,' Park Bo-gum established himself as a mainstream star through dramas like 'Reply 1988' and 'Love in the Moonlight.' In particular, E-Young from 'Love in the Moonlight' is considered one of his representative youth characters. By driving the success of the work with his neat appearance, bright image, and stable acting skills, Park Bo-gum emerged as a representative 'youth star' created by Korean popular culture at the time.

Since then, he has expanded his field of activity through films and dramas such as 'Encounter,' 'Record of Youth,' 'Seobok,' and 'Wonderland.' Recently, he has not stayed only within his professional identity as an actor but has been showing a more mature side, different from his early debut image, by expanding his scope of activities into variety shows, music, and performances.

In that sense, this weight reveal provides more fun than a simple weight episode. The scene where the actor, who was 65kg ten years ago, directly reveals he is 76kg now serves as a numerical reminder that the star, once remembered as a character in a work, has grown into a 30-something actor. Since weight is one of the most intuitive indicators of the passage of time, it feels even more realistic to viewers.

'Moonlight Drawn by Clouds Again' also utilizes this time gap as a variety show device. The actors, who were entangled as the Crown Prince, Hong Ra-on, Kim Yoon-sung, Jo Ha-yeon, and Kim Byung-yeon in the drama, have now become real travel companions, enjoying rafting, sharing food, and talking about each other's changes. The 10-year gap existing between the characters in the work and the real-life actors becomes another viewing point of the program.

In particular, Park Bo-gum's weight confession acted as a kind of 'time check' for viewers who remember his past self. By comparing the Park Bo-gum who was a 20-something actor on screen in 2016 with the current 30-something actor Park Bo-gum, it naturally made viewers recall not only his appearance but also how much his career and life trajectory have changed.

'Moonlight Drawn by Clouds Again' is a special variety program produced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the airing of 'Love in the Moonlight.' Park Bo-gum, Kim You-jung, Jinyoung, Chae Soo-bin, and Kwak Dong-yeon go on a two-day, one-night trip together, looking back on their long-lasting friendship and memories of the work at that time. The real-life relationships and chemistry created by the five actors, who have walked their own paths since the drama ended, provide new entertainment that transcends mere nostalgia.