In the latest episode of MBC’s Omniscient Interfering View (also known as Point of Omniscient Interfere), LE SSERAFIM members Sakura and Chaewon appeared as guests, promoting their new album, EASY.
LE SSERAFIM’s Sakura (left) and Chaewon (right) | @le_sserafim/Twitter
Mid-episode, when host Song Eun Yi asked the pair about their waist sizes, the two revealed that their recent measurements read 17 inches.
LE SSERAFIM Sakura And Chaewon’s Waist Measurements May Be The Tiniest In K-Pop
Viewers first went wild over the number—as what could be the tiniest waists in K-Pop, then soon became divided about it.
뿌꾸즈 허리 17인치
진짜 경악함… pic.twitter.com/2bhIofvTJd
— (@pupuismypuppy) February 24, 2024
Under a theqoo post with over 81K views and hundreds of comments, viewers expressed sheer awe at the idols’ tiniest waists, as well as concern for their healths, and everything in between. Some believed the number to be wrong (or fake), while others believed it wasn’t too impossible, considering the members’ petite builds.
| theqoo “They were blessed that way.” “Sakura and Chaewon talked about their waists being 17 inches because someone asked them for their waist measurements. Yet, here they are, getting all kinds of comments made about them.” “That’s something you’re born with. I’m 162cm tall and 41kg. So I’m small, but my waist is 23. Some people are born with tiny waists. So jealous, too, because I have such a shapeless waist.” “Whoa… I mean, I’m pretty skeletal and I’m at 19 inches. I can’t even imagine how small theirs are.” “That’s how thick my thigh is… OMG.” “Well, they were blessed to be at 17 inches. Small frame. Very petite build.” “I don’t know if that’s a good thing. I feel like we’re all back in a corset-wearing era.” “I’m just baffled that TV shows STILL ask women about their body sizes and complimenting them on how small they are. Times have changed. This ain’t it anymore…” “I’m jealous.” “Yes, they’re skinny so their waists are tiny. But they also were born with their shapes, with slimmer waistlines than others. Y’all can’t hate on what is literally their natural builds.” | theqoo “They must have measured incorrectly, LOL. Like, they can be as small as they want. But there’s no way a grown woman’s waist is as small as a toddler’s.” “Why would the host even ask them about their sizes… and how is this promoting them? So strange.” “If you go to the music shows and see them IRL, you’ll actually start to wonder how they fit all of their internal organs in their bodies.” “I have a petite build, so I’m tiny. But I’ve never fallen under 19 inches, waist size-wise. So I thought they must’ve measured incorrectly or made up the number to make the show more interesting. But after seeing their group photos, I’m starting to think 17 inches might be possible… Like, the other members are obviously skinnier than non-celeb women. And those two members are skinnier than the skinny members. It is totally possible that their waists measure 17 inches. I wonder where they buy their clothes. I can’t even make xxs work, so I have to shop at specialized brands. Since they’re celebrities, do they get their stylists to tailor all of their outfits?” “WTF? 17 inches? Not even 19?” “Well… It’s not about how small their waists are. It’s more about how proportional their shapes are. So…” “Sakura has always been known for her small waist, ever since she was in AKB. People said she was blessed because she has a wide hip, relative to her size. She’s just petite-AF and her frame’s f*cking tiny. That’s all. One of my friends saw Sakura IRL last winter and said that she looked like a speck of dust. That’s how teeny tiny she is. It isn’t as obvious when she’s with her teammates, but when she’s around non-celebs? It’s crystal clear.” “I think it was Vivian Lee or something… But someone else had 18 inches. So I don’t think 17 is impossible. But it’s unrealistic to be that small-waisted.”
Some found the question about their sizes to be rude and outdated, while others found the entire discussion about waist sizes to be all too detrimental to be aired on television.
| theqoo “This is dangerous.” “I saw something about this woman who used a corset to slim her waist. She measured at 18 inches and that was after she recovered a little bit. And even that was abnormal-looking… I don’t think 17 inches is correct.” “Back when I was on an extreme weight loss plan, to the point I lost hair and stopped having my periods, I measured at 20 inches. I was 156cm tall and 38kg. I, too, am quite skeletal and without muscle. So… IDK, I think 17 inches might be incorrect.” “I’d believe them if they said their waists are 20 inches. But 17? That’s hard to believe. I’m sure they were measured incorrectly.” “Yes, this is detrimental because there will be people idealizing what the idols were born with and attempting to achieve the same kind of number.” “I’m not even envious about it, at this point. Just baffled.” “17 inches?! I’m on the smaller side with a long waist and a weak upper build. And I was measured around 22-23 inches for my school uniform…” “Wow… Literal ants. I’m 30-something kilograms and underweight for my height. And I’m at 19 inches. 17 is mind-blowing.” “Well, the two of them are built ESPECIALLY small, frame-wise.” “And I thought waist size being 20 inches is too skinny…”
Watch LE SSERAFIM perform “EASY” in outfits that highlight their slim figures.