Health problems long plague overloaded K-pop girl groups

Members of South Korean K-pop girl group aespa gesture as they pose during a media showcase in Seoul on May 27. ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP An increasing number of female K-pop artists are taking time off due to injuries and health problems, caused by their strict diets and schedules that leave little time for sleep. Woonhee of entertainment group Belift Lab's rookie girl group Illit halted activities due to a recent foot injury. You have to maintain your weight at under 47 kilograms and the manager is always checking your diet," a former K-pop girl group member who wished to remain anonymous said.