Some say dynamic performances and overseas activities targeting the global market are hallmarks of fourth-generation idols — then what about their health management and diets? Boy band Ateez has the answer.

Perhaps once a symbol of suffering, idol diets are different now. When management is needed, they eat systematically, and when healing is needed, they eat deliciously. If they’re tired, they rest, and when it’s time to run, they charge ahead.


Artists themselves know better than anyone that only by steadily building healthy habits can they aim for longevity. For members of Ateez, a K-pop boy band sweeping the global stage with intense performances and vocal power, this means menus based on the healthiest and most humble staple ingredient of Asian cuisine — tofu.

“For me, the team comes first — If I can’t do my part properly in the team, I think there’s nothing I can do even if I go on stage alone,” Ateez member Seonghwa said during a cooking session with the JoongAng Ilbo in which he and fellow member Jongho demonstrated their tofu-based recipes. “I exist because our team exists. I want to work as Ateez for as long as I can.”

This year marks the seventh anniversary of Ateez’s debut. They have passed the so-called “seven-year curse” — when members often leave or groups disband — with a full lineup. There’s more good news. The title track “Lemon Drop” from their 12th EP, released this June, entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

With much still they want to do, the voyage must continue, Seonghwa and Jongho said in an interview during the cooking session.

“I get nervous when going on stage with a song that didn’t have much preparation time,” said Jongho. “That’s when I realized — no matter how well you sing or dance, if you’re underprepared and not ready, there’s just no way to cover for that.”

Seonghwa is very versatile — he takes on both rap and vocals, while also showing a commanding presence in performances and acting skills that suit each character. Ateez without main vocalist Jongho’s voice is also unimaginable. His rich volume and clear high notes elevate the quality of every Ateez song.

Both approach their work seriously and meticulously, but their methods of achieving this meticulousness differ. In the ruthless world of competition, what do they think, and how have they lived? We sat down with the two members to find out, the first pair to be interviewed by the JoongAng Ilbo in this series, which will feature the remaining members — Wooyoung, San, Hongjoong, Yeosang, Mingi and Yunho — in follow-up interviews.

The following is an excerpt from the interview, edited for length and clarity.

Q. Do you have a personal health routine?

Seonghwa: Honestly, three to four years ago, I often went on extreme diets. It was like I was almost giving up food entirely. But after realizing that I was in a state of harming my health, I started to find my own routine. I think I came to understand that it’s not about simply not eating, but about “what kind of food and how you eat it.”

I recently went on a diet again, but this time it was different. I lost a bit of weight for the Isabel Marant runway at Paris Fashion Week and also for concert outfits that had some exposure, but I didn’t feel stressed and lost the weight healthily. I managed it in a pretty fun way.


We’re curious how you lost weight healthily. Could you tell us?

Seonghwa: Actually, I used to binge eat a lot. To fix that, I gradually trained myself to eat healthy meals without skipping them, but in moderate portions. For example, even the day before a concert, I eat what I want. I eat deliciously with the mindset of enjoying that one meal. Instead, I avoid eating late at night and limit my snacks. I also eat on concert days, but I eat a smaller portion then. I’m naturally slim, so fans often worry I don’t eat, but in reality, I eat very well. (laughs)

It’s not just me — all the members eat well. I try to share these experiences with fans, too. If a fan asked for diet tips, I’d say, “Make sure to eat meals and exercise a lot.” I know it’s hard to follow through when you’re busy, but that’s what I’d recommend.

How do you take care of your voice?

Jongho: I try not to have any obsessive thoughts about it. So I turn vocal care into a daily habit. These habits are simple things like drinking lots of water, not shouting loudly and singing in ways that don’t strain my voice if I go to karaoke with friends. Even in the waiting room before a performance, I try to stay as calm as possible. If I had this sense of compulsion to start going to the hospital weeks in advance or feel like I had to do certain things, I think it would stress me out.


Seonghwa, you’re calm in real life, but your stage presence is intense and commanding. Do you prepare specially for performances?

Seonghwa: Since I was young, I’ve liked getting immersed in certain concepts. I enjoy assigning myself a character that suits the idea, and I prepare accordingly. So I prepare for the stage in a very calculated way. But hearing Jongho talk now, I realize it’s also important not to get too obsessed or too deeply immersed in something. I’ve learned something new. (laughs)

In my case, I have a very fixed pattern — what I do the day before, how I behave on the day itself. I get anxious if I don’t follow it. I tend to have obsessive tendencies, so maybe it’d be good for me to let go a little like Jongho. I should let it become a natural habit.

Jongho, you started as a trainee from a young age. There must have been a lot of challenging moments — what was it like?

Jongho: There were a lot. I started training during the winter break of my first year of middle school. There were even times I thought, “Maybe this isn’t the path for me,” and that I should perhaps let it all go. (laughs)

Now I try to just go with the flow. Life seems like that anyway. If something upsets you or you’re having a bad day today, a happy day might come next. And even when a happy day comes, I don’t get overly joyful or let my guard down. Because once that moment passes, another rough day could come again.”

After going through such hardships, when you finally got on your debut stage, were you very nervous?

Jongho: Honestly, I wasn’t very nervous. I don’t know why, but the debut stage wasn’t one of the stages I was the most anxious about. When you debut, you focus on practicing only the debut song for a month or two. I actually get nervous when I go on stage with a song that hasn’t had much preparation time. That’s when I realized — no matter how well you sing or dance, if you haven’t practiced enough and aren’t prepared, there’s no way to cover that up.


Ateez was recognized by overseas fans first. Some say your popularity was imported back into Korea — would you agree?

Seonghwa: We never deliberately aimed for overseas activities as a priority. Actually, it was more like, “Will we have another stage?” “Will we be able to go on a music show next week?” and “Will we be able to release another album?”

That was the situation we were in. We just worked hard, thinking there might be no tomorrow. We put everything into every performance. That went for the members and the company staff, too. We were really desperate, and each and every song in the album was made with the effort of a title track. Of course, I think luck was on our side too. Our desperation reached people through the screen, and they responded.

Ateez is also known for having great teamwork. What kind of brothers are you to each other?

Jongho: Seonghwa- hyung (older brother) treats me like a cute youngest sibling, but at the same time also thinks of me as a dependable younger brother. I guess I feel the same way. Sometimes he’s really silly, like a goofy person (laughs), but when I really need strength, he’s incredibly supportive. I think it’s because we both have that mix of sides — that’s why we get along well."

Seonghwa: When we’re promoting our music and performances, Jongho is really mature and responsible. But when it’s just us, he’s super affectionate. All the members find him very cute. Then outside, he’s mature again, and on stage, he’s dependable. Like Jongho said, we both seem to have that mix of characteristics. (laughs)

Idols these days promote across various platforms. Is there a field you’d like to challenge yourself in?

Jongho: I have a dream of becoming like our g.o.d. sunbaenim (honorific to refer to a senior or someone more experienced in a field). Even after 20 years, I want to keep promoting as Ateez. But realistically, we might not be able to have frequent comebacks once a year like we do now. So it’d be great if we could each succeed in our own fields, and then come together strongly when it’s time. That’s my hope.

Seonghwa: I’m very interested in acting and fashion, but I don’t want to lose my identity. My identity is as a singer, and I want to work a long time as a singer. People often ask me this kind of question, and every time, I repeatedly say — for me, the team comes first. If I don’t do well in the team, I don’t think I can do anything even if I’m on stage alone. I exist because Ateez exists. I want to work the longest as Ateez.

Effective health management is crucial during promotions. Is there a food you eat or a routine you follow?

Seonghwa: Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to cook. So when I order delivery food, I think about the health balance. I order food with ingredients like tofu or beans that are good for the body. Even when ordering meat, there are always some vegetables that come with it. Just making sure to eat those helps a lot. I also consider how often I eat high-calorie foods. I really like dakbokkeumtang (braised spicy chicken), but I think it’s okay to eat it once a week. If you eat ramen every meal, your body will struggle, but occasionally is fine. I make up for it by exercising a lot after I eat to keep the balance.

Among the members, Seonghwa is known to be good at cooking. What made you start cooking?

Seonghwa: My parents both worked when I was in high school. At the time, they ran a duck meat restaurant, so our fridge was always full of ingredients. There were lots of different kinds of meat in the freezer, so I started by grilling meat on my own. One day I made smoked duck, another day I grilled beef, then the next I tried making tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and that’s how I progressed. Also, recipe content is so well-made on online platforms that if you follow it properly, it tastes great. As I got used to it, I naturally started inviting friends over to eat with me. Among the members, Wooyoung is also good at cooking. Wooyoung enjoys cooking for others, while I prefer making something and eating it by myself (laughs).

Jongho: I can't cook unless I have a recipe. (laughs) If I do have one, I can try until I get the correct measurements.

Seonghwa: Ah, I need recipes too. But since Jongho is so meticulous, I think he'd be good at cooking too.

If you could cook a dish for your fans, what would it be?

Seonghwa: I’d want to make them soy sauce egg rice. My mom used to make that for me when I was little, and it was really delicious. I often skipped breakfast, but if there was soy sauce egg rice, I made sure to eat it. It’s a warm and comforting dish with good memories, so I’d want to make it for our fans too. It’s simple to make, but I didn’t get it right at first.

When I missed my mom’s cooking during our dorm life, I tried making it myself, but for some reason, I kept failing. Then, about a year ago, I finally started to find that extra touch that comes from my mom’s cooking. The recipe is simple. Heat up the rice, fry two eggs, break the yolks, add soy sauce and sesame oil, then sprinkle sesame seeds on top. It’s really simple, but recreating that feeling my mom gave me was surprisingly hard. (laughs)

Jongho: I think it’d be nice to cook ramen. I'd take ingredient requests directly from the fans. Like “two eggs,” something like an order form, and then make it based on that.


Lastly, you’re going to cook something for Hongjoong, Ateez’s leader. Can you explain what kind of dish it is?

Seonghwa: Personally, I especially love the doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) my maternal grandmother used to make, with lots of tofu in it. On my last birthday, I was eating miyeokguk (seaweed soup) and suddenly wondered what it would taste like if you added tofu to it. That’s how the dish I’m making today was born — tofu seaweed soup stir-fried in perilla oil.

I think it’s especially good in the morning. Just sleeping overnight depletes your protein levels, so it’s good to eat then. And tofu is easily digestible and full of plant-based protein, so it’s healthy. It’s also said to make your skin smoother.

Jongho: I decided to make tofu egg custard for Hongjoong-hyung, who leads the team. He has a really small appetite and is picky, but I saw him enjoy eating egg custard once. Tofu is made from soybeans, and soybeans are a very healthy ingredient. I’ve never cooked before, but if I have a recipe, I’m confident I can do it well. Just for today, I’m going to give it my best shot."

A healthy meal prepared by Seonghwa and Jongho for Hongjoong

The two Ateez members stepped into the kitchen to prepare a healthy meal for leader Hongjoong, who is known for having little interest in food and a small appetite. The main ingredient? Soybeans and tofu.

The mission was to create a delicious and nutritious meal using all soybean-based ingredients: tofu, soy milk, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), and soy sauce.

Soybeans contain 36 to 40 percent protein and include all eight essential amino acids, which help with muscle formation and strength maintenance. They’re also rich in isoflavones, known for their antioxidant effects and skin-improving properties.
Seonghwa, who’s relatively skilled at cooking, made tofu seaweed soup, a variant of the traditional miyeokguk, while Jongho, a self-professed kitchen novice, made tofu steamed eggs.

Tofu Seaweed Soup

1. Soak dried seaweed in plenty of water.

2. Cut tofu into 1.5-centimeter (0.6 inches) cubes.

3. Squeeze the water out of the soaked seaweed and chop it into bite-sized pieces.

4. In a pot, add the seaweed, minced garlic, and perilla oil, and stir-fry over low heat for five minutes.

5. Add water, soup soy sauce, tuna fish sauce, mirin and coin broth to the pot and bring to a boil.

6. When it starts to boil, add the tofu and continue to simmer over medium-low heat for 10 more minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the top.

7. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper.



Tofu Steamed Eggs

1. Finely chop carrots and green onions. Cut tofu into bite-sized cubes.

2. Crack eggs into a microwave-safe container and whisk thoroughly.

3. Add tuna fish sauce, salt and water to the egg mixture and mix well.

4. Gently add the tofu, carrot and green onion into the mixture and stir lightly.

5. Cover with a lid, microwave for three minutes, then stir and microwave for three more minutes.

6. Drizzle a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil over the finished tofu steamed eggs to complete.




Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HWANG JEONG-OK,SONG JEONG [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]