South Korean singer and actor Park Jihoon has become the subject of online discussion after older photos resurfaced showing his noticeably tanned complexion, surprising some fans who previously believed he had lighter skin.
The images, reportedly taken from an older article featuring the performer, began circulating across Korean online communities, where users debated whether the former idol had always had a darker complexion than many remembered. The renewed attention highlights how public perceptions of celebrities' appearances can shift over time as archival photos and past content resurface online.
Park first gained widespread recognition after appearing on the reality competition show "Produce 101 Season 2," later debuting as a member of the project group Wanna One. Since then, he has built a career as both a solo singer and an actor in Korean dramas and films.
The resurfaced photos and reactions were compiled by the translation blog Pannchoa, which highlighted comments from a thread on the Korean online community Instiz discussing the idol's appearance.
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The original poster on the forum expressed surprise at the images, writing, "Am I the only one who didn't know? Is it because I only saw random gifs of him before? I thought that he had fair skin."
The same post continued with a playful comparison about the idol's complexion, stating, "But he looks like a chewy Dubai chocolate cookie and is cute."
Other users responded with their own reactions, with some saying the discovery made them like the star even more. One commenter wrote, "Yup, that's why I like him even more."
Another user suggested the images might simply reflect lighting or temporary tanning at the time the photos were taken. The comment read, "He probably tanned a lot when he took this photo... I don't think he was that tanned."
Several fans reacted with humor when describing the idol's look in the older images. One user joked, "He looks like a potato and is so cute."
Some commenters said the tanned complexion was not surprising to longtime fans. One user noted, "I was a fan of Wanna One and I remember that he was always tanned."
Another commenter echoed a similar recollection about his earlier career, writing, "He wasn't fair-skinned during Wanna One either. But it does feel like he got tanner here."
Other responses referenced his appearance during earlier televised performances. One user wrote, "He was tanned during Produce too."
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Originally published on Kdrama Stars
