Korea’s Biggest Weight Loss Business “JUVIS” Faces Massive Backlash Over New Model

South Korean weight loss business JUVIS, well-known for its past transformations of K-Celebrities like Super Junior‘s Shindong and 2NE1‘s Park Bom, is facing backlash…

Actor Choi Moo Sung’s JUVIS transformation. | @juvisdiet/Instagram

…after revealing volleyball star Kim Yeon Koung (also known as Kim Yeon Kyung) to be the brand’s new face.

Volleyball athlete Kim Yeon Koung | @kimyk10/Instagram

Korean media outlets reported that JUVIS signed Kim Yeon Koung to spearhead the new brand campaign as of March 29, 2024 (KST). New advertisements featuring the athlete were teased to go live in April.

Kim Yeon Koung is a world-class athlete whose dedication to her sport makes her the epitome of consistency and diligence. JUVIS, too, has long been dedicated to delivering unchanging values of health and well-being to our clients. We believed that our philosophies, unwavering against trends and grounded in the basics, aligned—and so we have signed Kim Yeon Koung to be the exclusive face of our brand.

— JUVIS

Based on the content that has since been released, however, Koreans are expressing confusion and even discontent at the partnership.

For one, some Koreans argued that Kim Yeon Koung’s weight loss comes from “real work” while JUVIS is notorious for advocating quick losses through extreme methods.

| theqoo

• “But Kim Yeon Koung is fit because she exercises. No?”
• “This is the most unfitting partnership, but I’m OK with it since JUVIS probably paid Kim Yeon Koung a hefty sum.”
• “Let them be.”
• “Kim Yeon Koung does NOT look like the right model for JUVIS, though.”
• “So… I’m assuming JUVIS wants to re-brand and get rid of the reputation of being a leader in having people starve to lose weight, just to have them yoyo right back to their old weights. Right? Looks too little, to late to me, TBH.”
• “Signing an athlete to promote their starvation method weight loss program is insane. Maybe they’re looking to re-do all of their programs to something healthier? Or are they looking to exploit Kim’s reputation for business and that’s it?”
• “I don’t think Kim Yeon Koung EVER needed a weight loss program in her life… But I like her a lot, so whatever. I guess this is fine.”

Others called out JUVIS for “attempting to re-brand” using Kim’s reputation—though a few commented that if the brand is indeed looking to promote healthier weight loss plans over starving to become “the skinniest,” then the change could be positive overall.

| theqoo

• “But Kim Yeon Koung is slimAF. How does it make sense for her to promote a weight loss program?”
• “An athlete…? Promoting JUVIS, of all places???”
• “Wait, I thought JUVIS is a starvation weight loss program… How would an athlete, who is slim and fit from regular exercise, be the right face for the brand? LMAO.”
• “I wonder if this is a move to re-brand.”
• “I mean… Athletes model for beauty supplements and alcoholic beverages, too. So it doesn’t really matter. I just hope that she got a lot of money for the deal because I know she’s going to use it for her foundation recruiting new athletes. I’m all for Kim Yeon Koung making a lot of money.”
• “This ain’t right.”
• “But their concepts don’t match at all.”
• “But JUVIS forces their clients starve to lose weight…”
• “I don’t quite understand the decision… I mean, JUVIS has such a terrible reputation. Maybe Kim Yeon Koung is doing this for the money? There is not a single good to come of this partnership otherwise, IMO. It’s ultimately up to her, but I’m just saying…”
• “WeirdAF.”
• “Huh? This doesn’t seem right. I mean, it’s obvious that Kim Yeon Koung didn’t lose her weight using the JUVIS program.”

How does JUVIS weight loss work? Read more about the program here.

How Does “JUVIS” Weight Loss Work? Here’s Everything We Know About The Program