A heartwarming journey on the road to weight loss: a memoir of staying true to one's original aspirations and the social wisdom of finding weight loss buddies.

No matter how thin you get, never forget that "I used to be fat." During the preparation of this book, I asked acquaintances, friends, and family to "write me a letter," because Mei-zhen seemed to have forgotten something. My life underwent a huge change in a short period; I am no longer the chubby Kwon Mei-zhen I used to be. Of course, regardless of weight, I am still Kwon Mei-zhen. But I found that the thinner Mei-zhen seemed different. I gradually got used to the convenience of being thin, and began to take everything I have now for granted, as if I had forgotten my past appearance and efforts. Therefore, in order to rediscover myself and "never forget my original intentions," I need the people around me to tell me if the changes I experienced during my weight loss were still the same as before. I'm so glad that everyone was willing to help me write my pre-weight loss memoir. In this chapter, my high school friend tells my story before I became an adult. Cheerful, lively, and everyone's source of joy. As Mei-zhen's old friend, I am very happy. Every time I think of Mei-zhen, it reminds me of my naive and immature self when I first entered high school at 17. You were so happy and cheerful back then; just seeing you could brighten my mood. As the class monitor, you always stood at the forefront, leading everyone with great enthusiasm and initiative; though you occasionally made careless mistakes. You were very popular in the class, the life of the party, but we're in an all-girls high school, which must have been a pity for you, right? Other classes call their class monitors "underground mentors," but you didn't have that annoying image. Even though our class wasn't the best at studying, the atmosphere was really great. Whenever class was boring, many students were dozing off, or even the teacher was exhausted, you would say in your uniquely bright voice, "Teacher, let's listen to some Koyote (Note: a Korean trio, whose music style is mainly electronic dance music and hip hop) before class!" You were very considerate, knowing each teacher's preferences; even the legendary tiger-like teacher could be turned into a kitten by you. I also remember that day during the field trip, sitting in the back of the tour bus, creating a lively atmosphere. You used your hands and feet to keep the rhythm, and the beat and lyrics were all your own creations, a "made in Mijin song." Even after 10 years, I still remember that song; it was so catchy. Since then, I've known your talent is extraordinary. Perhaps many people think you're just a "female celebrity who successfully lost weight," but I've been quietly following you for a long time. As one of the few who understands your true personality, I'm truly happy for your current achievements and feel sorry for those who will never understand you. Your high school best friend, Park Se-young. Kwon Mi-jin, known only to old friends, "Me Back Then" VS "Me Who Has Never Changed." A talented comedian. I used to think that overweight people would be somewhat introverted, gloomy, and unapproachable because of the strange looks they receive. But you're completely different; you're practically a chubby comedian straight out of the TV show (oh, right, now we should remove the "chubby," just "comedian"). Your physique was unusually robust (now you're petite), yet you possessed a unique and inimitable comedic style that often made those around you laugh out loud. Perhaps it's your innate comedic talent that surprised me at all when I heard you joined an agency, participated in performances, appeared on television, and even went on "Comedy Concert" (though I was still amazed that my friend had become an entertainer). This is Kwon Mi-jin, standing on her own stage. You are my family home in Seoul. Every time I go to your house, I feel like I'm "coming home" because of the delicious food and comfortable bed. I really love going to Mi-jin's house. Especially her traditional Korean dishes, which are light, delicious, and just my taste! Every time I go back to my hometown, you take out all sorts of delicious side dishes from the refrigerator, such as kimchi, spicy radish, and pickled seaweed sprouts, packing them into a big bag (though it's called a bag, it's actually five bags) for me to take home to my parents. It's so thoughtful and touching. Your praise is always heartfelt. In my opinion, this is your most unique charm. You never hold back your praise, and it's not superficial or perfunctory, but rather sincere from the bottom of your heart. Every time I hear your praise, although I feel shy, I feel very happy. I love the sincerity in your eyes when you praise others, and the genuine expression on your face. I always feel confident around Mi-jin. I hope you'll continue to speak your heart to me, for better or for worse, just like you do now! Your best friend for life, Park Ji-ye. So many changes, I look forward to Mi-jin continuing to surprise me. The Mi-jin I remember is so multifaceted: the Mi-jin who imitated singer Mina on MBC's "Eight Ways Singing King"; the Mi-jin who dressed up comically and walked the streets in her pajamas on Daehak-ro; the Mi-jin who seemed even bigger every time we met; the Mi-jin who liked red-haired Annie and showed up with red hair herself; the Mi-jin who was still without makeup before her performances. Whether she weighed 103 kg or 50.5 kg now, I love her. Because the ever-changing Mi-jin always brings me surprises and joy. Kim Seok-hyun, the program director of KBS's "Gag Concert," once asked you, "Compared to the hardship of sculpting a stone statue, which is more painful: sculpting your body or gaining body fat?" Of course, it was a joking question, but Mi-jin cleverly replied, "I am a precious statue born at the end of suffering. I hope not to become a mere 'stone sculpture' with only outward beauty, but to be an honest and straightforward Kwon Mi-jin." Hearing this, I couldn't help but burst into tears. You didn't just work hard for the "outer appearance," but from the bottom of your heart, hoping to change yourself from the outside in. For this, you truly endured unimaginable hardship. I will always support you! Kim Kyung-mi, who has known Mi-jin for 7 years. Instead of losing weight alone, find comrades to work together. Often, my conversations with friends unconsciously focus on weight loss. Like the makeup and stylist, the reporters or TV producers I meet during interviews, I have many good friends who struggle with weight loss together. Among them, my best friend is Sung-hee. I often go to her hair salon for styling. Like me, she's been overweight since birth, and we both have years of experience with weight loss, so we get along very well. Last holiday, I asked Shengxi, "What did you eat during the holiday?" She laughed and said, "Thanks to you, under your supervision, I didn't dare to eat anything indiscriminately." Then she added, "Losing weight and controlling your diet is truly a long-term battle. It's a great blessing to have someone who can comfort you, empathize with you, and supervise your diet. Meizhen, you not only give me a lot of strength but also made me realize the importance of seriously losing weight." To me, Shengxi is a good friend who encourages me. I post on Weibo almost every day. During my weight loss period, I take pictures of everything I eat, go to, and do each day, and then write articles to share. This isn't easy; it would be a lie to say I've never found posting troublesome. Although sometimes I want to sleep a little longer or play a little longer, if I miss my daily posting time, my fans worry that something might have happened to me. I'm always touched by these kind sentiments. Seeing everyone's caring comments immediately dispels my laziness about posting, and I reply to everyone right away, engaging with my fans and sharing information. Therefore, while running my Weibo account, I've also encountered many precious connections. Perhaps it's because we both care about "weight loss" that we've become so close. Please remember, we're losing weight to "love ourselves." Sister Zhixian is a friend I met on Weibo. After meeting me, she lost 15 kilograms and became a size S girl. Sister Zhixian and I both love to eat, so we occasionally meet up at buffets, devour two or three plates of food, and then exercise together. Even the sweltering summer heat doesn't bother us. One day, after eating a huge amount of food, we started walking from Xincun, crossed the Xijiang Bridge, walked past Dafang subway station, humming songs and laughing loudly. On one occasion, we suddenly felt like walking for exercise and ended up walking to Xinfeng Station without any plan. Another time, we went on a weight-loss trip to Paju under the guise of "soothing the mind and body," but while others enjoyed brunch in cafes, we ate bland pumpkin porridge and boiled eggs. She always asked me, "I have a hard time losing weight, can I eat this? What kind of exercise should I do at this time?" And I would always reply, "That's normal during that period, but I'll do this... and that..." These words seemed to benefit my sister greatly, and I was very happy to share her burdens. In her letter, Ji-hyun also mentioned, "Whenever I bother you with a bunch of weight-loss questions, you never hold back, you're such a great helper! Thank you for telling me that it's not about losing weight to become beautiful, but about losing weight to love yourself more."