Chungha and Jeon Somi recently looked back on some of the difficulties they experienced while competing on Mnet’s “Produce 101.”
The former I O I members appeared together as guests on the YouTube program “Psick Show,” where they shared memories about the food and drinks provided to trainees during filming.
Chungha recalled that many of their meals included fried cutlets.
“We did eat, but almost everything was some kind of cutlet,” she said. “There was pork cutlet and chicken cutlet. After that, I could not eat pork cutlet or kimbap for a while.”
Jeon Somi explained that the production team initially wanted to film the trainees eating salads. However, many contestants either did not eat enough or had less energy after eating them.
“They wanted footage of the trainees eating salad,” she said. “But many people did not eat it, and those who did became tired, so they eventually took us to the cafeteria.”
Chungha then revealed that she also had difficulty staying hydrated during dance and vocal practice because the sponsored drink available on set was sparkling water.
“We were dancing and practicing singing, so it was very dry and I was extremely thirsty,” she explained. “I really wanted regular water, but the sponsored product was sparkling water.”
She said the carbonation made her throat uncomfortable, so she would wait for the bubbles to disappear before drinking it.
“It hurt my throat, so I removed the carbonation before drinking it,” Chungha said. “I did not watch much of the next season, but I checked whether they were given water.”
Chungha added that later contestants appeared to receive healthier options, saying, “They seemed to take better care of them in the next season. It felt so unfair.”
