Park Jin Young opened up about his military days, revealing a surprising truth behind his much-talked-about weight gain — and it wasn’t the “bulking up” fans thought it was.
On July 1, the actor and GOT7 member sat down with MyDaily at BH Entertainment’s Gangnam office for an interview following the end of the tvN weekend drama The Midnight Studio.
During his service, a fancam of him dancing passionately to Jeon So Mi’s Fast Forward at the Ground Forces Festival went viral. He laughed,
“The GOT7 members joked, ‘You worked harder there than you did at our concerts!’ But honestly, I had no choice. It was the first time in a while I could see fans again. Plus, there were rumors that if you did well, you'd get the most vacation days possible. I told myself, ‘If I go all out, I’ll earn it.’ So I gave it everything I had for those 15 to 20 minutes.”
Fans noticed his visibly “bulkier” look at the time, but he returned looking much leaner for his role in The Midnight Studio — even though he started filming just two weeks after getting discharged.
About the transformation, Park Jin Young said,
“People kept saying I bulked up, but honestly, it wasn’t muscle — it was fat. I felt bad, but I just stayed quiet. If they thought it was muscle, then sure, let’s go with that.”
He laughed while recalling the misunderstanding.
He went on to explain how he shed over 10kg before returning to the screen:
“Two months before I was discharged, I started jogging in the morning and again in the evening. I ate less, too. At first, I was eating big bowls of rice three times a day. Then I cut it down — one full bowl at breakfast, smaller portions at lunch and dinner. Later, I even skipped dinner or just ate chicken breast.”
He added with a laugh,
“My fellow soldiers helped test my patience by eating delicious ramen right in front of me. The heaviest I got was 79kg, but now I’m 68kg.”
Despite the struggles, Park Jin Young smiled as he spoke about military life. When asked if the experience changed him as an actor, he answered,
“Not directly, but it changed my attitude toward work. In the military, you start from zero. You let go of everything and meet so many people—some incredibly smart. It makes you think, ‘Do I even matter here?’ It really humbled me.”
He continued,
“I questioned myself when I couldn’t even do simple tasks. That feeling, I hope, stays with me. Military life teaches you patience. Things may not go well at first, but they eventually do. Even now, when things are tough, I tell myself it’ll get better. I want to last in this industry—with a humble heart.”
Fans are now praising Park Jin Young not just for his acting and visuals, but for his honesty, humor, and grounded mindset.
