Gong Myung Reveals 5kg Weight Gain And Intense Workout For Hit Romance Drama Covert Audit

Actor Gong Myung is celebrating a successful career turning point, successfully shedding his classic “nation’s younger boyfriend” image to emerge as a charismatic leading man. On June 1, 2026, the talented star sat down for a wrap-up interview with Sports Chosun at the Saram Entertainment headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, where he shared his thoughts on the grand finale of his hit tvN office romance drama, Covert Audit.

Gong Myung Shook Off His Younger Brother Image for Steamy Office Romance / News1

Stepping Into His Very First Office Romance

The highly popular weekend drama follows an elite corporate audit team handler named Noh Ki-jun (played by Gong Myung) who gets demoted to a specialized team tracking internal company scandals. While there, he unexpected falls into a passionate, reverse office romance with his strict, charismatic director, Ju In-ah (played by Shin Hye-sun).

Reflecting on the show’s successful run, Gong Myung revealed that his own family was completely obsessed with the project:

“My parents have always watched my projects, but they enjoyed this one the most. Every Saturday and Sunday evening, they would immediately call me to cheer me on. Seeing me wear a sharp business suit every week was completely new to them, and they kept telling me that I finally looked like a mature, reliable man.”

Gong Myung Shook Off His Younger Brother Image for Steamy Office Romance / News1

Gong Myung also laughed about how his real-life childhood friends reacted to the show, noting that because most of them are average office workers, they heavily related to scenes where his character dreaded going to work or suffered extreme stress due to corporate managers.

The Intense Physical Transformation and Bulking Secrets

To ensure he looked like a powerful, mature business professional rather than a cute younger guy, Gong Myung worked directly with director Lee Soo-hyun to build a more masculine appearance. The actor went through a dramatic physical fitness routine, gaining 5 kilograms of muscle mass before production started to fill out his dress shirts, and then leaning out his body fat right before a viral shirtless shower sequence.

The physical transformation required him to get completely custom-tailored suits because his shoulders and chest had bulked up too much for standard off-the-rack clothing. Gong Myung expressed extreme satisfaction with his new look, stating that turning 32 has made him realize he can no longer rely purely on a youthful persona, and that he is determined to keep pursuing more masculine, professional characters in the future.

Overcoming a Serious Health Scare on Set

The interview took a serious turn when Gong Myung honestly addressed a major medical issue that happened during filming last year, when he suddenly had to halt all acting activities after experiencing extreme dizziness. Doctors formally diagnosed him with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, commonly triggered by overwork and high psychological pressure.

The actor clarified that the medical issue was not caused by his rapid weight fluctuations, but was a direct warning sign from his body:

• The Body’s Warning: “After returning from my mandatory military service, I went straight into filming multiple projects back-to-back without a single break. I didn’t realize how exhausted I truly was.”
• Prioritizing Well-Being: “The doctor told me that resting and getting deep sleep was the only cure. It taught me a massive lesson about the absolute importance of taking care of my personal health while managing a busy acting career.”

Thankfully, Gong Myung confirmed that he has completely recovered his health and is already busy filming his next major project, an upcoming MBC sports drama titled Your Ground. To accurately portray his new role as a professional baseball player, the actor happily revealed that he has already bulked up his physique once again by enjoying plenty of his favorite foods like malatang and beef tripe, looking forward to showing fans a completely different side of his acting spectrum.