Chapter 53
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Celebrity Diet Patient
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“Director, do you not do diet consultations at all?”
A month ago, not even 30 minutes after Park Sun-yoon had asked me the same question, Chu Miyoung posed it to me as well.
“Pardon? Didn't I just say I do?”
“Oh…… I see. So you only avoid non-face-to-face consultations. Last time, you said you only handle essential treatments, so I thought you didn't do cosmetic ones.”
What was this about? I answered in bewilderment.
“Obesity comes with so many complications. Diet treatment is absolutely essential. Things like diabetes and hyperlipidemia go without saying, but when a protruding belly throws off balance, no amount of acupuncture can fix lower back pain.”
“Ah…… So you approach it from the same perspective as any other treatment.”
“Exactly.”
“Then not doing non-face-to-face ones is to filter out unnecessary cases……?”
She seemed to harbor quite the grudge against cosmetic treatments. I wondered how she ended up working at Haneul Clinic and even opening her own practice.
“That's part of it, but the biggest issue is that diet pills alone won't make the weight drop.”
Diet medications are simple in composition. Just combine herbs that suppress appetite and boost metabolism with others to counter the side effects.
But that doesn't guarantee everyone will shed pounds effortlessly. If it did, who in the world would suffer from obesity?
“For other treatments or tonics, the patient's main job is just taking the meds as prescribed. Eat when hungry, sleep when tired, and the body heals itself. But with diets…… even if the meds curb abnormal cravings, too many people eat out of habit.”
The key is management.
You have to coax, soothe, and sometimes scold people who stress-eat or can't stop snacking habitually into controlling their diet.
“Exactly. At Haneul Clinic, I made them send photos of every meal, but even after telling them no carbs, one ate samgyeopsal five times a week.”
Chu Miyoung gnashed her teeth in utter frustration. Hey, that's bad for your TMJ?
'Well, I've seen my share of extreme cases too.'
At least in the modern world, people know high-calorie foods. In the murim world, I had to explain from the basics why they couldn't eat tanghwa.
Expecting to lose weight on three—make that five—meals a day of mala tang and tanghwan, alternating sweet and salty. Even Hua Tuo couldn't manage that.
“You must know the importance of management better than I do, Director Chu.”
The impact per patient felt huge, but counting them up, I'd treated fewer than 100 obese cases. Only wealthy officials or merchants typically had weight issues.
Whether she liked it or not, Chu Miyoung's franchise experience gave her far more exposure.
“Yes, but the management was you glued to your phone all day…… I don't know much about it.”
“Ah. Next diet patient, let's compare notes.”
Back then, I never imagined a diet patient would show up so soon.
Stunningly, not a single one appeared until Park Sun-yoon brought her cousin. By then, Chu Miyoung's observation period was nearly over, and I thought we should squeeze in at least one.
That's when they arrived.
“Hello, I'm Park Se-seon.”
I just thought her pronunciation was exceptionally clear and elegant.
“Oh my gosh!”
“Where do I write my name?”
“Right there, sis……”
“And on this receipt too. Um, could I possibly ask for one autograph?”
“Of course.”
Our desk staff, usually so smooth with patients, was in a total flurry.
What was going on? While lecturing Chu Miyoung on prescriptions during a lull, I cracked the door and peeked out.
“Is she a celebrity? Do you know her, Director?”
I whispered to Chu Miyoung, but she was way more excited than the two staff outside.
“Whoa, no way! It's really Park Se-seon? Can I ask for a photo? Do celebrities come often?”
“Probably her first time. But who's she……?”
“You don't know actress Park Se-seon?”
Of course not. I doubt I knew her even before getting dragged to the murim world.
I'd read webnovels where the Heavenly Demon was an actor or director, but real entertainment? Zero interest.
Female actresses I'd heard of…… Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo, Jeon Ji-hyun? Even if they walked in, I might not recognize them.
Whether I knew her or not, Park Se-seon signed effortlessly. Unable to hold back, Chu Miyoung dashed to the desk and thrust out her note-taking notebook.
“Me too, please!”
“Sure. Name?”
“Chu Miyoung, please. And…… could I get a photo too?”
“Sorry, that's not possible. Maybe next time, if I achieve my goal here.”
Park Se-seon tapped the receipt as she spoke.
Of course, the reason for visit was listed as “diet.”
She didn't want photos of her current heavier figure.
“Sorry if that was rude!”
With all the commotion, staying alone in the exam room felt awkward.
I stepped out to greet Park Sun-yoon and Park Se-seon.
“Hello, long time no see.”
“Hi, Director. This is the cousin I mentioned.”
“Nice to meet you. Sun-yoon raves about you, so I had to come. I really need your help, Doctor.”
“Welcome.”
Even as Chu Miyoung and Seol Yu-hee buzzed with excitement over the celebrity, Seo In-ae finished registration and led Park Se-seon to the exam room.
“Just a quick InBody scan, then to the consultation room.”
Whoa, whoa. Whoaaaaa!
In the brief time it took Park Se-seon to get her InBody done, Chu Miyoung let out exclamations several times.
“That exciting?”
“Isn't it for you, Director?”
As I said before, the Heavenly Demon amazes me more than chaebols or celebrities. Truly, zero thrill.
Plus, no photos now means no promo value. Just like any regular patient.
“Celebrity or not, our long-awaited diet patient is here. Let's make it count.”
“Of course! ……Um, is it okay if I observe?”
Chu Miyoung suddenly fretted and sought permission the moment Park Se-seon entered.
“I'm acupuncturist Chu Miyoung, learning from Director Han. I've been observing, but if it's uncomfortable, I'll step out.”
After two months blending into the wall like decor, now this? The celebrity visit clearly rattled her.
“No problem. Just keep my visit secret. Oh, and please ask the staff outside not to spread it.”
Park Se-seon flashed a camera-ready actress smile.
“Absolutely! Patient confidentiality is a given!”
Chu Miyoung shifted to her usual wall corner, and Park Se-seon's gaze naturally turned to me.
“Sun-yoon probably told you, but I'm here for diet help.”
“Yes.”
“I used to never gain weight, but post-partum, what I thought would drop naturally hasn't budged……”
Park Se-seon rubbed her forehead and began recounting the past few months since childbirth.
Park Se-seon was a film actress who debuted in her mid-20s against her family's wishes. She started with bit parts like others, but one role after a decade catapulted her to stardom.
She churned out hits for years, showcasing diverse roles, earned the “nation's actress” title, and finally announced marriage.
Her partner: a younger famous actor.
A bit late in life, she worried inwardly, but soon got pregnant smoothly and delivered.
The trouble started after.
Park Se-seon had always eaten little. People nagged her to eat more—she was too skinny—but small portions filled her up naturally.
Never forced a diet, always slim, so she assumed non-gaining constitution.
Pregnancy changed that. Sudden cravings hit hard. Others lost appetite to morning sickness, but her husband took it for her—she craved endlessly.
And she had the wealth to get it all.
It's for the baby's nutrition. It'll drop after birth, naturally.
Never considered stomach expansion from overeating.
Even post-partum when weight lingered more than expected, no big alarm. Colleagues did it routinely.
“Heh. Guess I'll try dieting too.”
Park Se-seon started diet meals.
Chicken breast, salads, eggs, tomatoes. Bland, tasteless stuff.
But no weight loss.
She knew strict adherence was key, but added snacks anyway.
Picked at husband's sides during meals, snacked when baby-watching tired her.
“This won't do.”
Planned leisurely return post-weight loss, but a year later, no change.
Consulted agency, rushed project selection, signed for one six months out.
“Must lose 10kg by then.”
She went all-in.
“Aaaargh! I can't! I can't! No jjajangmyeon and I'll die!”
“Honey, don't stress……”
“What do I do? Appetite won't quit. Help!”
But nothing solved.
Acquaintances dropped 20-30kg, all said “eat less, exercise more.”
How exactly?!
Actors bulked and cut dozens of kilos for roles—her professionalism felt pathetic.
“More exercise volume?”
“Don't recommend weights. Boost cardio time/speed, but without diet control, tough.”
PT trainer stressed diet too.
Days dragged in mounting stress.
“Se-seon, if it's rough, want the clinic I went to? Their meds killed my snack urges.”
“Sis, try diet herbs?”
Same suggestion from senior actress and cousin.
Tempting amid her willpower limits.
“Where?”
They answered separately.
“Gangnam~ Let's go together.”
“Busan's far, but amazing. Healed my library fall fast.”
Naturally, she tried the nearby one first.
“Ah……”
Instant regret.
Walls plastered with celeb photos. Including recommender, nearly 10 signed or posed with director.
“Just say no to promo~”
Senior said that, but staff pushed persistently. Uncomfortably so.
They allowed refusal, but acquaintances complicated it.
Park Se-seon decided on alternatives.
What now…… Try phone prescription places?
Internet overflowed, but nothing clicked. Phone scripts felt generic.
“Sun-yoon, where was that Busan one?”
Full circle to cousin's rec.
“In-person only” now appealed.
“Sis, parenting tough? Drop everything, heal in Busan awhile?”
“Hm? Can't leave hubby and son……”
Meant quick visit, but Park Sun-yoon upped it.
Heal in family-home Busan, focus solely on diet.
“Great idea. Hubby starts shooting soon, planned extra sitter. I'll prep, bring baby down biweekly.”
Even husband approved.
Pitied her diet-parenting stress tag-team.
“Then…… I'm really going?”
Thus, Park Se-seon descended to her Busan hometown, iron-willed for diet success.