In a world where many girls go wild over thinspiration, thickspiration, fitspiration, and body goals, obsessing about one’s own frame and body is getting more and more prevalent. Even the seemingly empowered and perfect is not spared from it, and nobody is safe enough to not experience stigmas and body shaming.

Kim Chiu, for one, despite being a fitspiration to many, once found her body disproportionate. “Siguro ’yung time that I started years ago—’yung sobrang payat ko talaga and kahit ano’ng gawin kong kain, hindi talaga ako tumataba,” she opened up, looking back on how her body was before. Lean and more muscular now, Kim is still no stranger to doubting herself at times.

“Kina-catch ko pa ’yung groove ko when it comes to working out,” she declared, sharing how she’s not that active recently. “Parang I’m not being my super 100% self... Sabi ko, ‘sobrang unusual ’to,’ pero okay lang. Laban lang. Parang it’s not every day you’re [being your] 100% kasi.”

Having been in show business since 2006, Kim already knows that to keep anything at bay, she has to be in charge. She has to take control and be mindful of what she makes out of a dreadful situation, or it will dampen her spirits. If it calls for a change, why not? If need be, she can bravely make room for motion.

In fact, being fit means more than just the typical physical practice for Kim. According to the What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim actress, to her, aside from regular workouts, fitness is also a state of mind. “It helped my muscles a lot. Nag-gain ako ng muscle and then, naging proportion ’yung body ko. And ’yun, gym talaga really helps you—not just for your physical looks but also for your mental health,” she said.

“At first kasi, when you work out, it’s all in the mind. Parang when you say na ‘o, takbo tayo ng 10 kilometers.’ Parang sasabihin ng mind mo, ‘no, I can’t do it, parang hindi kaya.’ But, hindi mo pa kasi tina-try to do it. Just try. And once you tried to do it, parang mabibilib ka sa self mo and after nu’n, mayru’n na siyang parang addicting factor na ‘shocks, nagawa ko.’ ‘Gawin ko kaya ulit?’”

As to how she maintains her physique, meanwhile, Kim shared in an exclusive sit-down interview with Metro.Style that it is indeed discipline that will materialize a task. “I usually wake up at 6 AM and then start my workout—cardio or pilates every 7 AM. And then after that, pag-uwi ko ng bahay, magka-cardio ako like running or bike… If I have extra time, I do night workout also for endorphins.”

If you think Kim is immune to temptation, fun fact: she balances everything but food. “Foodie talaga ko, kaya nagwo-workout talaga ko, kasi parang hindi ko kayang mag-diet or like [mag-]calorie count. I eat lahat… pero more on meat lover ako and carbs—so like pansit or rice and then beef, pork. ’Yun ’yung mga favorite ko talaga, and bread also. Carbs, carbs. Kaya dapat, cardio [workout] talaga.”

If you are a regular on her Instagram page, you’ll also notice how the Kapamilya artist performs her routine every day. She exercises, takes her daily vitamin dose, and throughout her day, eats delectable food. She doesn’t fall into the trap of impossible ways to starve herself and shrugs off the whole diet drama. “I crave noodles! Anything that’s noodles, or like anything that’s grilled—mga liempo, barbecue, ganu’n.”

Besides being physically fit and mentally flexible, Kim has proven one thing over time: our mindset is what makes us—whether it’s for work or our personal lives. If we perceive doing something as possible and we’re dead serious about it, it’s already real in our minds. “Mind over matter kasi when you talk about working out or doing something na you’re not really used to. Parang dapat, more than your body that is strong, it has to be your mind that is strong also.”

“Kasi ’yung mind mo ’yung nagko-control on what you’re doing, e—what you eat, what you do, what you decide, what you can and cannot do,” Kim asserted, citing an action-survival series from which she learned lessons of interest. “Nakuha ko talaga ’yung mindset na ’yun [sa] Physical: 100 sa Netflix... Parang the strongest muscle na mayru’n ka sa katawan mo is not your upper body or lower body. It’s really your mind and your willpower.”

Headlining the Metro Body 2024 campaign, which champions body positivity and self-love, Kim spoke of how her perception plays a significant part in her career. “’Yun talaga ’yung nagpapalakas sa isang tao—[’yung mindset],” she claimed. “Parang naisip ko talaga, ‘grabe, mind mo pala talaga ’yung the strongest part of your body,’ kasi ’yun ’yung nagko-control for you to keep going and to stop.”

Now breathing life into her new role as Secretary Kim (originally played by Korean actress Park Min Young) in the Philippine remake of the South Korean series What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, Kim believes that everything she takes on builds on the power of small progresses. “Sabi nila, ‘o, kayang-kaya mo na ’to.’ ‘Maning-mani na ’to ni Kim.’ Pero parang hindi naman din easy [na] in just one snap, makukuha mo agad ’yung role,” she told us.

“Kasi parang hindi naman ako ’yung nagbibitaw ng jokes. Hindi rin ako ’yung [nagko-]comic acting. So parang subtle lang siya… Mayru’n din akong binabawas and mayru’n ding iba sa pinakita ko dito. Napansin nila [the viewers] that I played Secretary Kim in a subtle way. Sabi nila, ‘hindi ’to Kim acting na loud and maingay.’ Napansin nila na binago ko siya, so parang natuwa naman ako na napansin nila ’yun.”

Co-starring with her Linlang castmate Paulo Avelino, Kim tried to verbalize what she feels about the valuable feedback and reception that What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is raking in. What she’s done for the offering definitely amounted to audience satisfaction, and that’s something that she attributes to her toil. “I’m very proud sa outcome ng What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim kasi malaking Korean series siya sa Korea and marami din siyang fans dito sa Philippines.”

“Nakakatuwa kasi ang ganda ng cinematography. Kami nga sa set, gandang-ganda kami sa show. Sabi namin, ‘ano ba ’to, dahil lang ba ’to tayo ’yung gumanap or maganda siya talaga?’ Pero very proud [ako]. [It’s] one of the projects that I’m really, really proud [of].”

“And then, ’yung comment na bagay na bagay sa’kin, parang nakakatuwa lang—reading those comments. And then parang wala pa kaming nakitang not nice [na] comment,” Kim carried on. “Parang halos lahat, good comments, so we’re very happy talaga and very proud.”

While at first, Kim was still adjusting to doing the role coming from her heavy drama stint in Linlang, it was through guidance that she got to fine-tune her Filipino take on Secretary Kim, too. “At first, parehas kami ni Pau na pinapabawas ’yung seriousness sa’min ni Direk [Chad Vidanes]. ‘Masyadong serious, guys. Light lang tayo.’”

For someone who’s been through bouts of social media bullying and many a heartbreak, Kim has remained resilient, living life in color. “I’m good, doing great, and feeling happy, grateful, and thankful for everything that’s happening to my personal life and career life,” she told us.

Confident in her skin and talent, Kim sees to it that her self-esteem is matched by effort, making sure that whatever she tries to accomplish, she is giving her absolute best—be it in the OOTDs she wears, the projects she will work on, and the places and people she will come across.

“Every time may project ako, I always give my 100%, lalo na ngayon—in this day and age. Parang ang bilis mag-comment ng mga tao about what you are doing. Ang bilis na nilang i-type,” Kim concluded. “Hindi ka nila gusto, ‘O!’ Gusto ka nila, ‘Okay!’ ’Yung parang in your face na lahat ng words. If they don’t like you, they can say it on your X account, Instagram account… So I just want to do my 100% and just give them a great show.”

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is now streaming on Viu.

Photography by Gee Plamenco, Jr.

Creative direction by Eugene David

Editor-in-chief: Geolette Esguerra

Sittings editors: Red Dimaandal and Grace Libero-Cruz

Art director: Raff Colmenar

Editorial assistant: Mika Yusay

Makeup by Jake Galvez, assisted by Efren Evardome Jr.

Hairstyling by Jerry B. Javier

Styling by Adrianne Concepcion, assisted by Vince Abarra and Cent Bermas

Videography by Florence Chee and Ara Tanagon of Spotlight Creatives Studio

Photography assistants: Aaron Ongkingco, Warren Diotay, Julius Celis, and Chris Cantos

Shot on location at VS Hotel Convention Center

Special thanks to Star Magic, Laurenti Dyogi, Edith Fariñas, Yanie Camante, Thess Gubi, Frances Joson, Revin Reyes and Jarra Tiongson

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