Former Miss Korea Jin Kim Ji-yeon Reveals 75kg Weight Gain, Shares Story of Nearly $1 Billion Financial Loss

Former Miss Korea Jin, Kim Ji-yeon, has shared her current situation, revealing a weight gain of up to 75kg and detailing the financial hardships she faced due to a past boyfriend's business failure, which resulted in losses nearing $1 billion.

A video titled "The Second Life Story of 'Miss Korea Kim Ji-yeon' Who Had to Stand Up Again After Losing Everything" was uploaded to the YouTube channel 'Juvis Diet' on the 3rd. In the video, Kim Ji-yeon revealed that she is currently working as an insurance salesperson. She explained, "I started with a desperate heart. When my income was zero and my savings were zero, I thought, 'What can I do? I should do delivery work.' After a year or two, it became my main job. But as the damage accumulated, my knee, which never hurt before, started to ache, and I developed occupational illnesses. I needed a stable job, so I wondered what I could do without physical strain. Thinking that being an insurance planner could be a long-term career, I decided to challenge myself."

Kim Ji-yeon, who has been in the insurance industry for less than a year, explained the reason for her career change, stating, "Although it's personal, I faced a very significant risk. My ex-boyfriend's business failed, and I spent years dealing with it. The losses I incurred weren't in the hundreds of millions, but closer to $1 billion." She added, "If I had consistent broadcasting work, it might have been easier to overcome. But my work often involved my appearance. They wanted the glamorous image of a Miss Korea, but I was dull, swollen, and sick. I frequently heard comments from the home shopping sector, where I was doing well, like 'It would be great if you could just lose a little weight.' This became a source of stress, and even when I tried dieting, my body ached, leading me to worry about how to manage the weight gain." Her younger sibling, witnessing this, suggested trying insurance sales.

Looking at her past Miss Korea photos, she remarked, "Miss Korea makeup is quite heavy. Why do I look so unattractive? I had many complaints about these photos back then, but looking back now, I realize what kind of body I had. Now that anyone can see I've gained weight, returning to that state would feel like a dream."

She expressed her strong determination, saying, "I thought it was a huge opportunity when I received the proposal for this diet project. When I was active as a Miss Korea and celebrity, whether viewers wanted it or not, I had a title attached to me, and the focus was strongly on external beauty. It was sad to live as just 'human Kim Ji-yeon,' an ordinary person, when I wasn't in good physical or external condition. Now I think, 'Can't I do both?' I believe I can be accepted as my ordinary self, or perhaps become someone with more purpose, like in the 'glorious days of the past.' Can I do well? I will work hard."

Kim Ji-yeon tearfully confessed, "I almost gave up. What's the point of losing weight now? What's the point of getting healthy? You can only strive to do better when there's hope. When there wasn't, I didn't want to do anything else." She continued, "When my situation worsened or my appearance changed, it felt like the people around me passed a death sentence. They seemed to think, 'She's not Miss Korea anymore, so she can live however she wants, eat whatever she wants.' That period ended up harming my health. Now, I'm bravely trying again, not to show anyone, but for myself. This diet is for my health, and that's a significant difference." She concluded, "I will definitely succeed and work with Juvis to create a time where I can become healthier, stronger internally, and more beautiful externally than the current Kim Ji-yeon."

Netizens have offered words of encouragement, with comments like, "I support you in overcoming these difficult times and standing up again," and "Health is the most important thing, I hope you succeed." Many also praised her past beauty, noting, "Your beauty from the Miss Korea days is still intact."