RESCENE’s Minami Breaks Down Over Trainee Weight-Loss Struggle: ‘I Think I Cried Every Day’ [WATCH]

RESCENE member Minami has opened up about one of the most emotionally difficult periods of her journey to becoming a K-pop idol, revealing how intense pressure surrounding her weight affected her mental and physical well-being.

On September 11, Minami appeared in a video titled “War With Weight: The Truth About 20 kg” on fellow RESCENE member Woni’s YouTube channel. During the conversation, Minami reflected on the demanding regimen she followed while preparing for her debut and clarified that she had actually lost 18 kilograms, rather than the 20 kilograms suggested by the video’s title.

What stood out most, however, was not the number itself but the emotional toll that Minami said the experience took on her.

“All the stress in my daily life came to me as pressure to diet. Looking back, I think I cried every day,” she recalled.

Her comments offered a glimpse into how deeply the pressure had affected her during that period. Rather than viewing ordinary situations objectively, Minami said she began interpreting unrelated comments through the lens of her concerns about her weight.

‘I Became Intimidated on My Own’

Minami explained that her anxiety became so intense that even casual remarks from people around her could make her feel as though she was being judged.

“Even when my manager was watching another idol’s video next to me and saying, ‘They’re really good,’ which had nothing to do with weight, I would think they were thinking, ‘Why isn’t the pig next to me losing weight?’ I became intimidated on my own,” she recalled.

The memory highlights how prolonged pressure can affect the way someone interprets everyday interactions. For Minami, the concern over her appearance had become so overwhelming that she began attaching it to conversations that were not actually about her weight.

Her recollection also shows that the difficulties she experienced were not limited to the physical demands of dieting. The emotional strain followed her throughout her daily life and contributed to an increasingly negative perception of herself.

The ‘Heart Drop’ Fitting Left Her in Tears

Minami became particularly emotional while recalling an incident during RESCENE’s “Heart Drop” promotions.

She described attending a wardrobe fitting for the music video, where all of the members were expected to wear the same style of jeans. The experience became painful when the clothes did not fit her.

“We all wore the same jeans and had a fitting for the music video, but they wouldn’t even go past my hips. My manager and stylist helped pull them up, and afterward, I went to the car and cried alone,” she said.

For Minami, the incident became one of the clearest memories of how difficult that period had become.

“That was the hardest period for me. I couldn’t breathe properly and had so little energy. It caused me an enormous amount of stress,” Minami said. “I can think of it as a memory now, but I never want to go back to that time.”

Her comments underline the extent to which the regimen affected her beyond concerns about appearance. She described experiencing a lack of energy and difficulty breathing, while also carrying a significant amount of emotional stress.

Minami Says Being Thin Should Not Be the Goal

Despite having personally gone through the experience, Minami emphasized that she does not believe becoming thinner should be treated as an ultimate objective.

“I don’t think becoming thin should be the goal. I think it’s best to find a diet method that works for you,” she said.

Her message was particularly directed toward the people who look up to her and other idols. Minami acknowledged that the circumstances she experienced were connected to the expectations placed on her as an entertainer, but she does not want fans to feel compelled to repeat those experiences.

“We experienced it because we’re idols, but I hope our fans don’t put themselves through diets that are too difficult,” she added.

A Different Message for Fans

Minami’s candid discussion comes at a time when conversations around the physical expectations placed on K-pop idols continue to attract attention. Performers are often expected to maintain demanding schedules while also meeting strict appearance standards, making discussions about the reality behind those expectations increasingly important.

For Minami, revisiting her trainee experience appears to have been about more than simply discussing a difficult chapter from her past. Her comments also carried a message for fans who may struggle with their own relationship with food, exercise or body image.

The RESCENE member has now reached a point where she can look back on that period as part of her past, but her clear statement that she never wants to return to it demonstrates how deeply the experience affected her.

By sharing those memories publicly, Minami has also shifted the focus away from the number on the scale and toward the person behind it and the emotional cost that can come with trying to meet unrealistic expectations.