A Model's Confession You Won't See on the Runway
So here's the thing about the fashion industry β it has a way of humbling even the most physically gifted people. And that's exactly the story actor Ahn Jae-hyun is telling right now, and it's turning a lot of heads in Korea.
Ahn Jae-hyun, a former professional model turned actor best known internationally for the 2013 smash-hit Korean drama "My Love from the Star" (λ³μμ μ¨ κ·Έλ), appeared as a guest on the MBC variety show "Sora and Jinkyung" (μλΌμ μ§κ²½), airing on May 24. And what he shared gave viewers a raw, unfiltered look at just how demanding the Korean modeling world can be.
What Is "Sora and Jinkyung"?
For those unfamiliar, "Sora and Jinkyung" is an MBC program hosted by two of Korea's most iconic former supermodels β Lee So-ra (μ΄μλΌ) and Hong Jin-kyung (νμ§κ²½). The show follows the two as they navigate challenges in the fashion world, including a high-profile attempt to make their mark at Paris Fashion Week. Think of it as part travel show, part fashion documentary, with a generous helping of personality.
Ahn Jae-hyun joined the studio panel for episode five alongside comedian Kim Won-hoon (κΉμν), who β as the only non-model in the room β provided some much-needed comic relief, visibly out of his depth surrounded by runway veterans. What's really interesting is how the presence of Lee So-ra and Hong Jin-kyung, both legends in the Korean modeling scene, seemed to reignite something in Ahn Jae-hyun.
186cm and Still "Not Tall Enough"
Ahn Jae-hyun stands at 186 centimeters β that's just over six feet one inch β which by any everyday standard is impressively tall. But as he candidly recalled on the show, that height barely got him a foot in the door of the modeling industry.
"My height is 186cm, but in the modeling world, that was never considered tall."
That alone is a sobering reminder of just how extreme the standards in high fashion can be. But he didn't stop there. The revelation that really shocked viewers was about his weight.
"I had to cut my weight down to 60kg for auditions."
To put that in perspective: 60 kilograms at 186 centimeters translates to a BMI of around 17.3 β well below what is medically classified as a healthy weight range. Ahn Jae-hyun had previously touched on this topic during an April appearance on KBS2's quiz show "Rooftop Troublemakers" (μ₯νλ°©μ λ¬Έμ μλ€), where he gave even more detail.
"When I was really lean for modeling, my regular weight was 64kg. But when collection season came around, I'd drop to 60kg. When you get that thin, your hands shake on the way home β because you've barely eaten anything."
Hong Jin-kyung, who was present during that conversation, offered some context from the industry's perspective, explaining that models are expected to be razor-thin so that clothes hang properly and look their best on stage. It's a practice that's widely criticized, but one that remains deeply embedded in the fashion world globally β not just in Korea.
From the Runway to the Screen
Ahn Jae-hyun made his modeling debut at Seoul Fashion Week in the Fall/Winter 2009 season β one of Asia's most prominent fashion events, held twice a year in South Korea's capital and featuring both established and emerging designers. He went on to build a solid career on the Korean runway before making the transition to acting in 2013.
His breakout acting role came in "My Love from the Star," a massively popular Korean drama that starred Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun. From there, Ahn Jae-hyun appeared in dramas including "Blood" (λΈλ¬λ) and "Beauty Inside" (λ·°ν° μΈμ¬μ΄λ), steadily carving out a place for himself as a recognizable face on Korean television.
These days, he's also become a familiar presence in variety programming, where his straightforward and unpretentious charm has earned him a loyal fanbase.
A New Dream: Going Global
Watching Lee So-ra and Hong Jin-kyung push themselves at Paris Fashion Week clearly stirred something in Ahn Jae-hyun. Despite his years in the industry, he admitted that an international runway has always been the road not taken.
"I've never had the experience of working abroad. But watching them made me want to take on that challenge myself."
It's a refreshingly honest admission. Here's someone who has already found success β as a model, and then as an actor β expressing that there's still a dream left on the table. And that kind of vulnerability tends to resonate with audiences.
Why This Conversation Matters
Beyond the entertainment value, what Ahn Jae-hyun is describing is a conversation the fashion industry has been having β or arguably avoiding β for years. The pressure on models to maintain dangerously low body weights is a systemic issue that affects people across the globe, regardless of their height or market.
When a well-known actor with a platform speaks openly about shaking hands from hunger on the way home after a fitting, it puts a very human face on an industry that often gets glamorized beyond recognition. And in Korea, where body image pressures are particularly pronounced across entertainment industries, that kind of candor carries real weight.
Episode five of MBC's "Sora and Jinkyung" airs Sunday, May 24 at 9:10 PM KST.
This article is based on reports from Naver News, Naver News, Naver News.
