A former mental health doctor at JYP Entertainment revealed the reality of idol groups.

On SBS Plus's 'You Can Tell Your Older Sister' (Literal translation) that aired on December 10th, a woman who decided to undergo gastrointestinal surgery to lose weight appeared as a guest. The woman was revealed to be the mother of two daughters and said she had failed to lose weight after gaining 50 kg (110 lbs) during her first pregnancy.

The former JYP psychiatrist appeared on the show via video call to consult with the guest and said, "When I used to consult idol group members, they are under extreme stress over dieting as well. There is a lot of pressure to be slim and they go on excessive dieting. IU and Jang Na Ra even confessed they had developed bulimia because of this. If you are under a lot of stress to diet, the stress hormones increase and your body doesn't lose weight anymore."

The psychiatrist stated, "If a person is under stress, they're not feeling hungry, it's false hunger. There is a real hunger and there is psychological hunger, so it affects weight gain."

In fact, IU confessed that she suffered from bulimia in the past due to the malicious comments and stress from dieting. She even said she would eat until she would vomit because she felt empty inside. IU revealed that she has been treated for bulimia and has been making constant efforts to prevent a recurrence.

Besides IU, many celebrities, including singer Jang Na Ra, Park Hwayobi, Lee Young Hyun from Big Mama, and Cho Min Ah from Jewelry, were reportedly suffering from bulimia.