Why Comedian Kim Shin Young Turned Down A Whopping $1.5M In Ad Offer

Comedian Kim Shin Young is one of South Korea’s most loved TV personalities. In addition to her adorable character, she is also known for her incredible transformation.

Her decision to lose weight was sparked when a hospital health check-up became a scare. On multiple occasions, Kim talked about the doctor’s comment, which helped her make up her mind. After declaring weight loss, Kim shed over 97 pounds (44 kilograms) and kept it off for over a decade—making her a household name in the weight loss world.

I felt something was wrong with me and went in for a health check-up at the hospital. After hearing the doctor tell me that ‘I might not be here in 10 years,’ I decided to start losing weight.

— Kim Shin Young

Then, in a 2022 episode of KBS‘s Bbaegopa (or Diet), Kim revealed why she turned down a potentially life-changing amount of money she could have made in advertisement revenue.

She said she has had multiple offers to endorse weight loss businesses and diet supplements—totaling up to ₩2.00 billion KRW (about $1.50 million USD). While the offers were tempting, Kim turned them down because she knew her transformation did not come from those businesses and/or supplements, and endorsing them would be dishonest.

You know how much weight I lost and kept off for a decade, too. But over that decade, I have had some tempting offers. To be honest… You know the brand that promises a drastic before-and-after? And the entire lineup of weight loss supplements in the market… I got endorsement offers totaling ₩2.00 billion KRW (about $1.50 million USD) from all those businesses. But I turned them all down. Why? Because none of them helped me lose weight. That’s not how I achieved my goal. I never took any of those supplements.

— Kim Shin Young

Viewers praised Kim for her conviction and for her continued dedication to prioritizing her health!

• “A lot of celebrities endorse products they have never used after losing weight through some other way. That’s why I have a lot of respect for Shin Young.”
• “From what I know, Kim Shin Young grew up in poverty… She said money was the core of all her struggles. So it’s incredible how she didn’t let the money sway her.”
• “She’s amazing. Really. I don’t really like when celebrities endorse weight loss products because we all know those products aren’t what helped them.”
• “Wow… She’s incredible. Huge respect. She wanted to stay true to herself and not sell lies for money. That’s conviction. She didn’t let money tempt her.”
• “Kim Shin Young’s health and weight loss came from real effort and sweat. Just amazing. Her conviction is applaudable, too!”