"I love the me who was chubby too"... Kim Min-ha's choice after losing 17kg [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with actress Kim Min-ha for the film "One Korea".

Actress Kim Min-ha spoke out about her recent weight loss of 17kg, which has become a hot topic.

The film "One Korea" (directed by Frederic Scholber) is an art-buster based on a true story that follows the journey of Hye-seon, a North Korean defector woman who strives to move forward despite living in an unfamiliar life.

Kim Min-ha portrayed the role of Hye-seon, a North Korean defector woman, expressing through delicate emotional acting the arduous reality and hope of a woman trying to carve out her place in an unfamiliar society.

With the film's release approaching, Kim Min-ha said, "Since it was filmed two years ago, I thought time would pass quickly. From the moment I read the script, I thought, 'I want many people to know this story,' and I am so happy for its release. Seeing myself from two years ago feels a bit strange, but it's really good."

Upon reading the script for "One Korea," he said, "It felt like reading someone else's diary."

He continued, "Since there is a lot of narration and it is based on a true story, it felt like reading a diary. I worried about how to handle this story carefully and preciousy. Especially since the real person is living well, I approached it with an even more precious heart, and I thought many times that I needed to develop the power to convey it through quiet, whispering words."

Kim Min-ha, who had to master the Yanggang-do dialect to portray a North Korean defector woman, stated, "The dialect coaches were people who actually came from Yanggang-do. I heard many stories about their time as defectors and also looked up documentaries. I referred to the real person's story a lot and imagined how to bring it to life. Since these are things I have never experienced myself, there were some difficult parts, but I tried my best to express them."

He further revealed, "I think I studied the Yanggang-do dialect for about three to four months. In previous works, I learned the Gyeongsang-do and Osaka dialects as well. Perhaps because I was a musician before becoming an actor, studying it like reading sheet music felt easier."

He continued, "If you think of the work simply in words, it is too difficult, but if you think of it as sheet music or notes, it became internalized in my own speaking style. I thought that it was not important to just deliver lines, but rather to make them my own speaking style first, so learning was really fun. Thinking of it as music made it approachable more easily."

Although Kim Min-ha became well-known for her role in "Pachinko," she walked her own path silently for a long time to reach this position.

Kim Min-ha said, "Many people got to know me through 'Pachinko,' but it took quite a long time to meet that work. Since debuting in 2013, I have continuously appeared in web dramas, independent films, and short films, steadily accumulating my time. Without those seven or eight years, I probably wouldn't have met 'Pachinko.' Going through difficult and painful times changed me a lot, so I think I have become an actress who can tell more stories now."

He further revealed, "I grew up in what is commonly called the '8 school districts' and studied very hard to get into good schools. At that time, I only thought it was hard, but reading many books, developing my own tastes, and having various experiences has greatly helped me in my acting career now."

Kim Min-ha, who originally wanted to become a voice actor or singer, said, "I even enrolled in a practical music academy behind my parents' backs, but I felt limited because there were so many talented people. Then I started studying again, and at that time, it was too scary to tell my parents that I wanted to be an actress. My parents wanted me to become a university professor."

It was actor Seol Kyeong-gu who led Kim Min-ha down the path of acting. He said, "The neighbor's uncle, Seol Kyeong-gu, told me, 'You should try being an actor,' so I started with commercials and enrolled in the Department of Theater and Film."

Kim Min-ha revealed a special affection by sharing an anecdote about inviting Song Yoon-ah, Seol Kyeong-gu's wife and also an actress, to the screening of "One Korea."

He said, "In the past, I was the one attending Unnie's screenings, but this time I got to invite her, which felt fresh. Unnie praised me by saying, 'You did really well,' and I was truly proud. Just being in the same frame as Unnie felt new, and I thought, 'I am walking my path well right now.'"

He continued, "Unnie often tells me, 'Don't get tired, go at your own pace. Don't be impatient.' She encourages me by saying things like, 'You should make more of these kinds of films,' 'Everyone likes you,' and 'Don't lose your original intention and work hard.'"

Regarding his parents' reaction, he stated, "They originally wanted me to become a university professor, so while they are very happy now, they also worry a lot. Recently, they worried if I was having trouble because I lost so much weight."

He added, "Seeing them smiling continuously at the screening made me feel very proud. But as soon as they entered the waiting room, they said, 'What is this with your body?' and laughed. Still, seeing my parents happy and proud made me really happy too."

Kim Min-ha continues her relentless "hard work." He stated that he has never once wanted to give up acting and finds happiness in performing in front of the camera.

He said, "When I was preparing to be a singer, I thought, 'This doesn't seem right,' so I could give up relatively quickly. But for acting, even though it took a long time until I met 'Pachinko,' I never once thought about giving up."

He continued, "It wasn't because I was good at it; the act of performing was just too fun and happy. Even if the difficult times lasted one year and the time in front of the camera was only 30 seconds, I was happy enough to endure that time. It is the same now." He further shared, "I really like being on set, so I think that's why I can keep going."

He also added, "I try to look at myself objectively and whip myself into shape where I am lacking, while moving forward in a direction where I don't lose myself. It is also my ambition to do a wide variety of works."

Kim Min-ha also became a hot topic recently with a significantly changed appearance after losing weight. He opened up by saying, "I didn't expect it would become such a hot topic and that people would pay so much attention."

He continued, "My weight did drop significantly. I lost it over two years starting from when I filmed 'Typhoon Romance.' It is about 16kg to 17kg less than when I filmed 'One Korea.' While I cannot speak specifically about my next project, it is a role where I had to lose a lot of weight."

Kim Min-ha said, "About 90% or more of the weight loss was due to the role, but I also worried about how to show a new appearance. I lost weight over a long period to not only shed pounds but also maintain my physical strength."

He further revealed, "My next project also requires weight loss, so I am still doing (dieting) more now. There is something I want to clear up misunderstandings about. People sometimes misunderstand that when I say I love myself as I am, there might be a contradiction in my words, but it was simply a choice for me as an actress to express various characters."

He then explained, "I am satisfied with both my chubby appearance and my current look. It is because of my profession that I want to show my chameleon-like self. Many people are very interested in my dieting method; I lost weight by eating one meal a day and exercised very hard. I worked as hard as possible without stressing myself out, while staying as healthy as possible."

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*This content was translated by AI.