For actors, the body means more than just a physical attribute. Recently, the dramatic visual transformations of actors Ha Jiwon and Kim Ji-won, who chose a "skeletal" (so thin that the bones are visible) body type to perfectly embody their recent characters, have been the subject of daily headlines.
Actor Kim Ji-won appeared with an unrecognizably slender silhouette that drew fans' attention. On the 24th, in a video of the "2026 Bulgari high jewelry collection" event released on Vogue Hong Kong's official social media, Kim Ji-won received reactions saying she was "unrecognizable" amid a seductive atmosphere.
Wearing a TVN fine deep blue dress, she displayed a straight shoulder line and slender arm lines, exuding her characteristic graceful aura. But each movement clearly revealed the ribcage lines and pronounced collarbones, which certainly struck the eye. Netizens responded with praise such as "a unique elegance" and mixed concern like "she's so thin it's worrying for her health." Kim Ji-won appears to have lost weight to immerse herself in her role ahead of her return in the SBS drama Doctor X: era of the white mafia.
Once known as the epitome of healthy beauty to the point people joked about when her muscles ever rested, Ha Jiwon also pushed herself to the limit for the new drama "Climax." On the 18th, appearing on the YouTube channel Sung Si Kyung, she said she redesigned her body type itself to play the top actress Chu Sang-a.
Ha Jiwon said, "I changed my body to abandon the existing healthy image and give a sensitive, fragile feeling," explaining that it was a precise process of reducing muscle with weight training and lengthening the body with yoga and stretching, not simple dieting. In response, Sung Si Kyung said, "Ha Jiwon melted so completely into the role that she became invisible," and paid tribute to her intense transformation.
Park Minyoung, who drew attention with a weight of 37kg, said at a press conference that she tried to match her daily routine as much as possible to Hansel-ah to embody the character in TVN's "Siren." She said, "This character doesn't eat. Because so many sad tragedies happen around her, she doesn't eat, and when she goes home there's only water and alcohol. She always shows a professional side in public, but when she's alone she is painfully lonely. She has gone through much emptiness. In the end, she left only water and alcohol at home," she confessed.
She added, "While filming this work, I think I drank about 3 liters of water a day. Strangely, that much water went down. After filming ended I completely stopped drinking so much water. Now I'm back to Park Minyoung. I thought dimming myself was a good choice because I could express Han Seol-ah's sharp look. I really spent a dark time," she said, drawing attention.
While domestic actors have chosen the "skeletal" body type for roles, Hollywood legend Demi Moore (63) has become the center of controversy for her increasingly gaunt appearance. At the recent "2026 Actor Awards" red carpet, she shocked with bony shoulders and deeply hollowed cheeks. Though she has long been praised as an icon of self-care, concerns have grown as some have raised speculation that she may be taking the diet drug Ozempic, which is trending in Hollywood.
Between passion for roles and self-care, the body changes of stars represented by the "skeletal" keyword are drawing public attention amid applause for artistic transformation and worry about health.
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