Netizens Are Concerned After Seeing Recent Visuals Of A First-Generation K-Pop Idol

A recent photo of a first-generation K-Pop idol revealed a surprising transformation that had netizens concerned.

Ko Ji Yong | DSPmedia

Ko Ji Yong is a former member of the iconic idol group Sechs Kies, one of the most popular male idol groups in the 1990s. They debuted in 1997 with the song “School Anthem” and quickly caught up to H.O.T., who debuted a year earlier and was the biggest idol group at the time. Sechs Kies and H.O.T. both had countless passionate fans, and there was a rivalry between the two fandoms.

Sechs Kies members | DSPmedia

Ko Ji Yong was known for his voice, but it was also his handsome visuals that many fans loved.

| DSPmedia | DSPmedia | DSPmedia

The former singer recently posted a photo on his Instagram with TV personality Ji Sang Ryeol with the caption, “Meeting after 20 years ^^.” Although Ko Ji Yong happily smiled in the photo, netizens couldn’t help but notice how different he looked.

Ji Sang Ryeol (left) and Ko Ji Yong (right) | @ecojiyong/Instagram

This was the first time fans saw his picture in a while since he had mostly been posting pictures of his son. Many of his fans were excited to see him with Ji Sang Ryeol and wondered what they were filming for. On the other hand, they were also concerned about how much weight he had lost.

| @ecojiyong/Instagram

• “Our oppa… Why did you lose so much weight…”
• “Oppa! Always take care of your health????”
• “Aaah It’s been so long since we saw you! So happy! Oppa, please upload more often!”
• “Oppa, you’re so thin”
• “Why are you so thin…”
• “Are you coming out on YouTube with Ji Sang Ryeol?”
• “You lost a lot of weight, but you’re still radiating, Ji Yong oppa”
• “Even if you lose weight… you’re so so handsome, oppa!!!”

The last time he was on television was in 2022 with SBS‘s reality show Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 – You Are My Destiny. 

| SBS

After Sechs Kies disbanded in 2000, he started his own business and did not continue his music career. He got married in 2013 and has one son, whom he appeared with on The Return of Superman in 2017. He did not participate in the Sechs Kies reunion in 2016 because he wanted to focus on his business, which fans understood, but he was later caught in a controversy after it was reported that he was using Sechs Kies’ reputation and the size of its fan club for his company’s viral marketing aspects.