So my favourite workout would be exercising my back because I often feel that I’ve worked out really hard and have that fulfilling feeling, I guess. I hate working out my chest because it’s hard to get the posture right and I have back pain so, it’s kind of hard to do it. I start off my set with free weights without using the machine, and I’ll use the equipment in every gym that I would like to try out. There’s a lat pulldown machine from the Italian brand Panatta that I really like.

For most Korean artists, when we start our album promotion [schedules] are packed and really tight, so many artists will sleep for, like, one or two hours and then get up and do another schedule. Whenever I don’t get enough sleep, in the morning I often feel like giving up that day. But I’ll never skip my workouts, especially because my face will bloat. So if I don’t do it before the schedule, I’ll do it during.

During the pandemic, it was really hard for me to work out in the gym. In Korea, many of the gyms were closed, but I had my own gym and supplements in my house. So I would use those to work out, but I also went outside a lot instead. Even if I couldn’t focus on weights, I kept on working with my dancing and being mobile. [To dance] I do a lot of stretching and I use a foam roller constantly which helps a lot with balance. I think because I practice a lot of dancing, regardless of my muscles, [that fluidity] just naturally comes.”

Diet

“I start my morning by training, and after working out I’ll drink an oatmeal juice. For my first meal, I eat chicken with carrots, broccoli, kale and rice, and for my second I eat beef rump with rice. Then, in between my dinner and the second meal, I’ll have another oatmeal juice. For dinner, I’ll have white fish, again with rice, carrots, broccoli and kale, and I’ll finish it off with egg whites. Sometimes I’ll also eat pineapple for digestion. 

It’s probably a special case for me, and I don’t think it will apply to many other people, but I often think of my fans or of being in front of a camera, and so naturally, it makes me handle my appetite and drive me further. It’s like a motivation for me.”

Vices

“My favourite food is ramen, but ramen is often recognised as an instant food and something that’s not good for your health. But I can never resist it, so whenever I finish shooting a music video, or after my album promotion, I’ll eat it. But since I have a photoshoot coming up, I won’t have it yet.”

Skincare and beauty

“I don’t use any specific skincare. I don’t really know how to care for my skin, to be honest, so I will just use things that I see in front of me. For example, when I go to the gym they will have skincare that people can use, so I’ll just use that. 

I do love using perfume, though. My favourite is, and sorry to use a swear word, called Fucking Fabulous Eau de Parfum by Tom Ford.”