Interviews · GOLDEN HOUR Era
JoongAng Ilbo — 'What Did You Grow Up Eating' Interview (Seonghwa, Jongho)
JoongAng Ilbo Q&A interview with Seonghwa and Jongho for "What Did You Grow Up Eating."
A written Q&A interview with Seonghwa and Jongho for JoongAng Ilbo's "What Did You Grow Up Eating" cooking series. Seonghwa discusses moving away from the extreme dieting he once did, his meticulous pre-stage preparation, ATEEZ's early years, and a lifelong interest in cooking that traces back to helping out at his parents' duck-meat restaurant as a teenager.
Seonghwa's Words — Translated Highlights
Seonghwa described moving away from extreme dieting he did a few years earlier, toward eating regular, moderate meals and avoiding late-night snacking rather than restricting food outright; he said losing weight for Isabel Marant's Paris runway show and a revealing concert outfit went healthily and without the stress dieting used to cause him. He described his pre-stage preparation as methodical to the point of anxiety when his routine is disrupted, built around fully inhabiting a character suited to each concept, and said hearing Jongho describe a more relaxed approach made him want to loosen that obsessiveness a little.
On ATEEZ's early overseas recognition, he said the group was never chasing an international breakout — early on, they were focused on more basic survival questions like whether they'd get another stage or another album — and treated every song on an album like a potential title track out of that urgency. He described his day-to-day dynamic with Jongho as composed and mature while working, contrasted with an affectionate, cute side in private that the other members are fond of. Asked about interests outside music, he named acting and fashion, but said his priority stays being a singer within ATEEZ specifically, describing his own identity as inseparable from the group.
On everyday eating, he said he leans on delivery food built around tofu, beans, and vegetables, allows himself dakbokkeumtang about once a week, and balances occasional ramyeon with extra exercise. He traced his interest in cooking back to his teenage years, when his parents ran a duck-meat restaurant and he began grilling and cooking on his own, and said he prefers cooking for himself rather than for others, unlike Wooyoung. He named soy-sauce-and-egg rice — a dish his mother used to make — as something he'd like to cook for fans, describing years of trying to recreate her exact version after moving into the dorms. For the segment's meal for Hongjoong, he made a tofu-and-seaweed soup he invented himself, inspired by his maternal grandmother's tofu doenjang stew and an idea he had while eating seaweed soup on his birthday.
Official Sources
- JoongAng Ilbo — '관리도 팀워크도 건강하게… 에이티즈 성화·종호의 라이프 스타일 [쿠킹]' (opens in a new tab)
- 지글지글클럽 (Jjeulggeuljjeulggeul Club) Official YouTube — '【Multi Sub】맏막즈 요리 실력 이 정도였어? ATEEZ 성화·종호의 리더 홍중을 위한 두부 한 상 차림! | 뭘 먹고 자랐길래 EP.6' (opens in a new tab)
- Daum (JoongAng Ilbo syndication) — '관리도 팀워크도 건강하게… 에이티즈 성화·종호의 라이프 스타일 [쿠킹]' (opens in a new tab)
- Daum (Korea JoongAng Daily syndication, English) — ATEEZ Seonghwa & Jongho lifestyle/cooking interview (opens in a new tab)
Photography, video, and audio remain the property of their respective rights holders.
Era Context
GOLDEN HOUR Era · 2024 – Present
The current chapter. Continued global touring, expanded solo visibility in fashion and media, and an evolving artistic voice — documented here as it unfolds.