These K-Pop Idols Reveal Exactly How Strict “The Big 3" Are About Your Weight

K-Pop companies are quite strict about the weight of their trainees, and “The Big 3” (YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and SM Entertainment) are no different. Here’s a look at some moments when K-Pop idols revealed just how strict these three companies are when it comes to weight.

1. Solo artist MAYDONI not being able to debut under YG Entertainment due to her weight

MAYDONI is a solo artist and YouTuber who was once a trainee at YG Entertainment. She was a trainee at the company for over 4 years, but she wasn’t able to debut due to her weight. She revealed that YG Entertainment wouldn’t let her debut until she lost a dangerous amount of weight.

I was asked to reduce my weight to 38 kilograms (83 pounds) before debut and this was extremely stressful.

— MAYDONI

2. TWICE’s Dahyun & Momo talking about JYP Entertainment’s weight rules

During a live broadcast, TWICE’s Momo and Dahyun shared that when they were trainees, the company checked their weight two times a day and expected them to lose weight every day.

They also revealed that they were once banned from the company cafeteria due to them failing to meet the weight guidelines.

Not only that, but Momo revealed on another live broadcast that she once had to lose 7kg in a week.

When I was a trainee… I was told I had to lose 7kg no matter what. That was the only way to be on the showcase. There was a D-day.

— Momo

Momo ended up starving herself and constantly went to the gym to lose the 7kg. She also admitted that she was scared to go to sleep and that she cried a lot during that time.

I didn’t eat anything for the whole week and went to the gym all the time. I spat all the time so there was no water in my body. And when I laid down on the bed and tried to sleep, I was scared that I wouldn’t wake up again, so I suddenly started crying.

— Momo

3. Former SM Entertainment trainee and SHINee’s Key on the company’s weight rule

A former SM Entertainment trainee once talked about her experience of being at the company and shared that the company cares deeply about the weight of their trainees. She revealed that the company checks on the body fat percentage of all trainees every month.

They check your body fat percentage every month.

— Former SM Entertainment trainee

SHINee’s Key also revealed during an episode of Radio Star, that when he joined SM Entertainment, he was shocked by how blunt the company was about weight.