Chinese actress Ai Mi has sparked concern among fans after appearing noticeably thinner just days after beginning work on director Guo Jingming’s upcoming drama Bai Yao Pu.
The 18-year-old actress was recently spotted on the set of the new production, with behind-the-scenes photos showing a noticeably slimmer face compared to her appearance before filming. The sudden change has once again drawn attention to the notoriously demanding management style associated with Guo Jingming’s productions.
Bai Yao Pu recently began filming, and photos from the set featuring its young cast quickly circulated online. Among the actors, Ai Mi’s transformation attracted particular attention. According to reports, she still had noticeably fuller cheeks before filming, but appeared significantly slimmer just six days later, prompting fans to express concern over the speed of the change.
Some online commenters jokingly remarked that “no one comes out of Guo Jingming’s set looking heavier,” while others revisited the nickname “Guo’s Devil Training Camp,” reportedly used online to describe the strict physical management associated with some of his productions.
Reports have also brought renewed attention to a so-called “16-day diet” reportedly associated with the production environment. The regimen is said to consist of three stages. During the first three days, participants reportedly consume a highly restricted selection of foods such as eggs, corn and cucumbers. The following six days allegedly involve black coffee and eggs for breakfast, stir-fried vegetables for lunch and approximately one tomato for dinner.
During the final seven days, small amounts of meat and fruit are reportedly added back into the diet. The reported regimen also involves avoiding oil, salt and sugar, while condiments such as soy sauce and vinegar are restricted. Some accounts further claim that water intake is reduced later in the day, supposedly to minimize facial puffiness before filming.
However, such a restrictive regimen should not be viewed as a recommended weight-loss method. Rapid changes in body weight and facial appearance over a short period can be influenced significantly by changes in hydration and food intake rather than actual fat loss. More importantly, restrictive diets and deliberate fluid restriction can pose health concerns, particularly for young actors who are still developing.
Ai Mi is not the first actress associated with a Guo Jingming production whose weight reportedly changed during filming. Actress Yu Shuxin was previously reported to have lost a significant amount of weight while working on My Journey to You, while Liu Xueyi has also reportedly experienced weight loss during production. The latest images of Ai Mi have therefore reignited discussion surrounding the physical demands placed on actors working under strict production regimes.
Born in 2008, Ai Mi began her career as a child actress in China and has appeared in numerous television productions. Her credits include The People’s Procurator, The Longest Promise, The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Serenade of Peaceful Joy, and Chang Xiang Si, among others.
Now entering adulthood, Ai Mi is continuing to build her acting career with Bai Yao Pu, but her noticeably changed appearance after only a few days of filming has left fans more concerned about her well-being than her on-screen transformation.
Sources: Daum | TV리포트