Choi Yoojung reveals she took diet pills in secret after agency pressure to lose weight

I.O.I's Choi Yoojung recently shared how hard it was dealing with the intense pressure to lose weight in a new video posted to 'Hello Hasemi' Youtube channel on the 4th.

When host Park Semi asked if she gains weight easily, Yoojung replied, "My weight gain isn't super obvious. Since I have a naturally round face, people would always say, 'You were always kinda chubby anyway,' whenever I gained weight. On the other hand, when I lost weight, they would say, 'Weren't you never really the type to gain much weight?'" She added, "That's why I didn't really manage my weight before, but I recently lost some weight and realized I should've done it sooner."

Hearing that, Park Semi immediately responded, "You look so slim to me!" When asked about her lowest weight, Yoojung replied:

"My lowest weight was 40kg. During 'Produce 101,' I weighed around 40 to 41kg. The heaviest I've ever been was 50kg."

Yoojung also confessed that she actually is a major sweet tooth, saying, "I'm the type of person who eats late-night snacks every night and never skips dessert."

The conversation took a serious turn when Park Semi shared her experience with weight loss. She admitted, "In my early 20s, I took diet pills. I don't recommend them to anyone. These days, people know they're bad for you, but back then we we weren't really aware of the risks. I even thought it was a good thing because they suppressed my appetite."

She continued, "One day I was staying at a hotel with a friend and was taking a shower when I felt like someone was staring at me from the doorway. It turned out to be a side effect of the pills. Thankfully, I only took it for a short time."

She also mentioned, "Since I've always had a larger build, I tried both prescription medicine and herbal remedies, but the most important thing is losing weight through exercise and healthy eating habits.""

Choi Yoojung also shared her own experience, saying:

"When I was a trainee, my company told me to lose weight. I was at a healthy weight, but they still wanted me to lose weight. I was still growing at the time, but I felt like I had no choice but to lose weight. I was so desperate (to debut), so I took the diet pills and kept it a secret from the company."

Looking back, Yoojung recalled dealing with terrible side effects from the diet pills, including dry mouth, bad breath, heart palpitations, nausea, dizziness, and even vomiting.