Park Su Oh reveals drastic diet demands at 14 for blockbuster role
Rising actor Park Su Oh opened up on the harsh pressure to diet as a middle schooler. For his 2019 role in The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful, Park was told to slim down at just 14 years old. He faced 1,000:1 odds to play younger Kwon Sang Woo and went extreme to land the part.
Park admitted in an interview with TenAsia that he cut meals and ate only salad, despite still needing nutrition for growth.
“At 14, when I should’ve been eating meat, I only ate salad and skipped meals. But I was satisfied with how I looked, and the director liked it too. It was hard on my body, but I felt good about it. I lost a lot of weight for that movie even though I was still in middle school. The thin physique I created then still affects how I look today. I used to get stressed seeing my round face in the mirror and wondering why the weight wouldn’t come off. My parents were worried since I was still growing, but to me, doing that project well mattered most.” – Park Su Oh
Park said the pressure stemmed from the need to lose his naturally round cheeks to fit the film’s visual style. Despite his young age, he stayed focused on his craft.
Now 20 years old, Park Su Oh already has over 40 dramas and 12 films under his belt. He’s known for playing younger versions of stars like Lee Byung Hun, Kim Soo Hyun, and Yoo Ah In.
“I don’t think I matured faster than others. I just did what I liked—maybe that came across as focused to adults.” – Park Su Oh
His story highlights the intense expectations on young actors in Korea—to grow up fast and transform their looks for roles. Park’s early sacrifices are a rare glimpse behind the scenes of child stardom.
