A Woman’s Unlikely Addiction Cost Her $38,000 And Made Her Gain 30lbs

People can form addictions to just about anything, and in the case of a woman from China, her addiction to a specific food cost her more than just a little bit of money.

A woman known by her last name, Kong, admitted to becoming addicted to hot pot. Hot Pot is a communal eating experience where diners are served a hot broth base and are able to add a variety of vegetables and meats.

| Haidilao

Kong’s addiction began around nine years ago when she was recommended Haidilao, a popular hot pot restaurant chain. She found the experience fantastic and started her love affair with the brand.

A Haidilao resturant| Anthony Kwan/Bloomberg

She claims to have eaten at the renowned Haidilao restaurant chain 627 times across more than 20 cities.

I don’t cook. I don’t have other hobbies and I am not interested in clothes or makeup like other girls. My only hobby is eating, especially eating Haidilao.

— Kong

Kong says her love for Haidilao goes beyond the food, recalling when she was allowed to spend the night inside the restaurant while on a business trip.

Interior of a Haidilao | McHugh Construction

In the nine years she has spent dining at Haidilao, she estimates she has spent around 270,000 yuan (~$38,100 USD) on her habit. Along with the soup base, each addition has its own cost, meaning you can easily spend over $50 USD in one sitting even splitting with others.

A Haidilao menu. | Haidilao

The money spent is not the only concern over Kong’s addiction — her family has apparently expressed concerns about health risks. Kong has admitted to gaining 13.5 kilograms (around 30 pounds) and has considered this.

I am aware that eating a lot of hotpot is likely to increase the level of lithic acid in our bodies, a cause of gout. My physical checkups have shown some indexes are not as good as they were before, so I will restrain my enthusiasm for hotpot a bit.

— Kong

While some believed the story may have been an ad for Haidilao, a strong love of hot pot is not too surprising. For example, members of NCT, especially Renjun and Yangyang, have gained attention for eating hot pot often, like in the instance below.

NCT’s Renjun Once Came Up With A Clever Solution When Asked For A Photo By A Fan