Actress Park Min-young is once again at the center of a heated health debate following the revelation of the extreme physical toll she endured for her latest role. At the production presentation for tvN’s upcoming thriller Siren, Park confessed to a grueling regimen that pushed her body to its absolute limit: "The character in this work hardly eats at all," she revealed. "During filming, I survived by fasting and drinking three liters of water a day."
In Siren, Park portrays Han Seol-ah, a woman entangled in an insurance fraud scandal who suffers from profound loneliness and panic attacks. Park explained that she viewed her gaunt physique as a non-negotiable part of her performance, fearing that any sign of health or weight gain would "dilute the character’s desperation." While she reassured fans that she has since returned to her original weight, the details of her "water-only" survival have sparked alarm.
This isn't an isolated incident for the actress. Just last year, Park shocked the industry by dropping to a mere 37kg to play a terminal cancer patient in Marry My Husband, a feat she achieved by consuming nothing but electrolyte drinks. The latest trailer for Siren showcases an even more skeletal appearance, leading to a polarized online response: while some praise her "professional consciousness," medical experts are warning of the silent, long-term damage such methods inflict.
The Science of "Starvation Mode": Why the Initial Drop is Deceptive
When caloric intake is nearly cut off, the body enters a state of emergency. Initially, it consumes stored glycogen—a process that releases massive amounts of water and causes a noticeable 1–3kg weight drop in a very short period. This is why significant weight loss is observed in the early stages of fasting.
However, if fasting continues for several days, the body begins to break down both fat and muscle tissue for energy. For an individual undergoing this transformation, the "slim" look comes at a heavy metabolic price. Without protein, muscle loss is inevitable, leading to a permanent drop in the basal metabolic rate. This effectively damages the body's ability to manage weight in the future, often leading to a "yo-yo" effect once normal eating resumes.
The "3-Liter Trap": The Hidden Danger of Water Overload
While high water intake is often viewed as healthy, consuming three liters daily without food is a recipe for medical crisis. Without electrolytes from solid food, excessive water dilutes the sodium in the bloodstream, a condition known as hyponatremia.
Symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and lethargy can quickly escalate if the body's internal balance is disrupted. Medical practitioners note that while three liters is a manageable amount for a typical adult with a balanced diet, using it as a meal replacement during extreme fasting places an immense burden on the kidneys and the body's electrical balance.
Gallstones and Permanent Organ Strain
Perhaps the most overlooked risk of rapid weight loss is the formation of gallstones. When a person loses more than 10% of their body weight in a matter of weeks, the balance of bile components is disrupted. Sudden caloric restriction can reduce gallbladder contractions, leading to bile stasis, which causes abdominal pain and indigestion.
Furthermore, extreme restriction consumes muscle alongside fat. If protein intake is insufficient, muscle mass decreases and the basal metabolic rate drops, making it easier to gain weight afterward. Repeated cycles of rapid weight loss and regain can disrupt body composition balance, potentially leading to long-term health burdens that may never fully recover.
