Hyeri Pushes Back on 'Belly Fat' Criticism: "I Like Myself"

Singer and actress Hyeri, formerly of the K-pop group Girl's Day, is pushing back on online criticism about her body after photos and clips from her recent solo fan meeting circulated online.

Hyeri addressed the comments through a fan communication platform. "Honestly, I like myself, but people watching might think it doesn't look professional," she wrote. "Although I don't really get why being thin is what makes someone look professional."

She added a message to her fandom, Hyerumi. "If Hyerumi wants me to, I'll try. I'll work out and stay healthy," she said. "But all of us are beautiful just as we are."

The remarks followed her solo fan meeting on Nov. 13 at Samsung Hall on the Ewha Womans University campus in Seoul. During the show, Hyeri performed Girl's Day hits along with cover stages of aespa's "Whiplash" and Choi Yena's "CATCHY CATCHY."

A highlight video posted to her official channels after the event drew attention online. Hyeri wore a fitted dress during the performance, and some frames showed the line of her stomach, sparking a wave of reactions.

Some online commenters framed it as a "belly fat" issue. Others pushed back, saying the look could be an optical effect caused by the fabric, the cut of the dress, and the camera angle.

The response from Hyeri lands at a moment when more K-pop artists are openly challenging the industry's narrow standards around body image, turning what used to be private pressure into a public conversation.