An actress known for being “rather fit and of a smaller build” has undergone a physical transformation that she hopes will encourage people to love themselves (and others) for who they are, not what they look like.
Over the course of two months, Tay Ying gained 12kg for her role in the upcoming series The Blockbusters. The show follows a plus-sized dance girl group, Team BB, as they pursue their dreams. In order to play Kira, Tay Ying had to increase her weight by bulking up at the gym, drinking protein shakes, and eating four meals a day.
In an interview with AsiaOne, Tay Ying said that the changes she experienced were “a bit strange and complicated,” but she never felt insecure about her new look.
When I put on my old clothes, I found that I couldn’t zip them up. So that’s when I realised, ‘Oh, my body is really changing’. I never used to have this problem. It felt a bit strange and complicated.
— Tay Ying
For Tay Ying, becoming Kira has been an eye-opening experience. As a woman with a high metabolism who struggles to gain weight, this was the first time she was able to experience first-hand what many other women go through in terms of body image.
I realized that many women struggle with their body image, and that makes me very upset. Everyone knows me as being lean and rather fit and of a smaller build. I went through this change to kind of prove the point that at the end of the day, I’m still me, that’s more important.
It’s not about what size you are. Everyone should be respected at any size, whether you’re tall, short, skinny, or on the bigger side… your personality and values are way more important than your appearance.
— Tay Ying
Although she received emotional support from her loved ones, some people were not so kind. In a video montage about her weight gain, Tay Ying said, “There were also days when I was embarrassed and was shamed by comments made by people who didn’t know the reason behind this [weight] gain.”
She hopes that The Blockbusters’ Team BB will shine a flattering light on plus-sized dance groups that do not neatly fit into the body beauty standards adhered to by the K-Pop industry and similar industries. She said, “We’re here to show that you don’t have to be a specific size to chase our dreams.”
Source: AsiaOne
