Model and entertainer Joo Woo-jae, who has been making waves on shows like Hangout with Yoo, has opened up about the intense stress he faced during variety show recordings. He revealed that the pressure was so severe it once led to vomiting, sharing the real story behind his famous “small eater” persona.
On May 17, a video titled “Legacy Entertainer Joo Woo-jae’s Special Move” was uploaded to the Chimchakman channel. In the video, Joo Woo-jae candidly shared the psychological pressure he felt while struggling to survive in major variety programs.
When fellow guest Kim 풍 mentioned that Joo Woo-jae had been under significant stress to survive in the variety scene as the youngest member, Joo Woo-jae shared his inner thoughts. He confessed, “In the past, when I felt stressed during recordings, I would get indigestion immediately after eating,” adding, “The indigestion caused such severe headaches that I even vomited,” leaving viewers shocked.
He continued, “I hated the pain of indigestion and vomiting so much that at some point, I just stopped eating altogether during broadcasts.” He explained the surprising twist: “Because I didn’t eat, I naturally got labeled as a ‘small eater’.” It turns out avoiding food on screen wasn’t about a lack of appetite, but a choice for survival.
Joo Woo-jae shared a bittersweet yet humorous anecdote, saying, “When I’m home alone, I tend to order food and eat one big meal.” He noted that this habit kept him lean and solidified his image as a small eater in the eyes of the world. However, he added that his mindset has changed recently. “At some point, I started feeling more at ease, and as I let go of certain pressures on screen, I’ve started eating well again,” he revealed.
Netizens reacted with warmth, commenting, “I had no idea there was such pain behind the ‘small eater’ persona,” “It’s heartbreaking that he was stressed to the point of vomiting just to survive in variety shows,” “I’m glad he’s feeling more relaxed and eating well now,” and “Joo Woo-jae’s variety skills are peaking, so I hope he stays healthy while filming.”
