KATSEYE Make Buldak Carbonara in the Vogue Kitchen and Talk About "Animal," Wild, and How Fast It All Happened

Virgin Piña Coladas and the Question of Who Can't Cook

The drinks are pineapple juice, coconut cream, and ice, blended and garnished with pineapple, cherries, and small cocktail umbrellas. Most of the effort goes into pouring. One member admits they have "never mastered the art of pouring things," and another hesitates before blending because they are afraid it will splash. The group also disagrees over proportions. One member wants more pineapple juice, while another warns the drink isn't supposed to look too yellow and says they prefer creamy ones. The extra juice gets poured anyway.

That leads to the question of who the worst cook is. One member insists there is no worst cook and says they simply don't cook: they don't try, and they order food all the time. Another says they have only ever seen that member make eggs, and the member replies that their "eggs are fire." That comes up again when the ramen is made.

While the drink blends, the members "mime their deepest, darkest secret" to each other off-mic. One member confesses they cannot read lips at all. They say this frustrates them because the group often has to communicate that way, presumably on stage. The others joke that this member is "actually the worst" at it.

The finished drinks get matching pink umbrellas, with one member choosing blue to be different. They add a pink touch for Megan, then toast "pinky up," a nod to their song "Pinky Up." One umbrella falls off mid-toast.

Building the Carbonara Buldak

The main dish is carbonara-flavored buldak ramen, dressed up with onion, garlic, mozzarella, chili oil, chili garlic oil, scallions, furikake, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken, heavy cream, vegetable oil, fried eggs, and chamgireum, which one member names as their favorite. The member who "only makes eggs" asks to fry the eggs, since that is "really the only thing I know how to make." The group decides to make four portions.

The members say they know this dish well. They had all made buldak about two days earlier, and Yoonchae posted hers in the group chat. They explain that after long rehearsals that run very late at night, "sometimes buldak feels like the only option." They want it slightly soupy.

Everyone agrees on heat. One member says they like it really spicy, the others agree, and they decide to add all of the sauce. Another predicts they'll "look like a cat under the rain" because their nose will start sweating. Another says the dish reminds them of home and that they used to cook buldak or ramen almost every day.

The members also compare methods. One adds chili oil and sesame oil during cooking. Another adds soy sauce, which surprises a member who describes themself as someone who cooks it "original." The soy-sauce cook asks whether they just "committed a crime." They are told nothing is wrong and the others are just shocked. The group also discusses seasoning. Mozzarella makes the dish saltier, so they salt the eggs lightly instead. The egg cook credits their technique to tricks learned from "me, myself and I and Gordon Ramsay," and the others are impressed, with one saying they could never make an egg.

The taste tests are enthusiastic and very spicy. "Is it giving?" "Yes, it's giving." Once the bowls are topped with cheese, chicken, and more sauce, the members admit they are "forgetting so many things" because they are too excited. They eat without a toast. One member reports a "physical heat flash" and sweating after a single bite.

"Animal" and the Ed Sheeran Connection

While the eggs cook, the members bring up their single "Animal," which had just come out. They call it fun and say they don't think they have made a song like it before. They say Ed Sheeran wrote the song and that "you can hear his influence for sure." One member says they were in the studio when a bandmate recorded their part. The bandmate "transformed into Ed Sheeran," according to the group. The member then tries singing a low line, another says they can't go that low, and the others joke that she "just turned into Ed Sheeran" and invoke the "spirit of Ed."

Wild as the "Older Sister" of Beautiful Chaos

The group describes their upcoming EP, Wild, by comparing it to their previous EP, Beautiful Chaos. One member says Wild feels like Beautiful Chaos's "older sister": it has "the same kind of world," but visually it is "all a bit weirder." They call it more developed, more mature, and more interesting than the last one. The explanation they give is growth. They say they now have "a better understanding of like who we are as one." Another member jokes, "You can hear that in the noodles."

From 12-Hour Days to Variety

The late-night buldak comment leads into a conversation about their schedule. The members say they used to rehearse 12-hour days and now rehearse around six hours. The old schedule was a fixed routine: wake up at 8:00, go to rehearsal, finish at a set time. Now "it's like different thing every day." At least one member says they prefer the variety.

Baking as Therapy for Perfectionism

Cooking comes up as a way to stay grounded. The members describe it as rewarding to eat something "you made with your hands." One member says the others can tell they are stressed when they bake, and another notes that they had just baked blondies.

The member who bakes explains that this comes from their therapist. The therapist knows they love cooking and baking and suggested baking as a way to work on perfectionism. Baking is "such a science," so they follow the recipe exactly and try to execute it perfectly. They describe this as the place where they "practice my release" of the urge to be perfect and always put together.

What They're Listening To

Two members share their current music. One is listening to a lot of Santigold, Daft Punk, and "obviously" Erykah Badu. Another says they love R&B and listen to a lot of rap, naming Don Toliver and "Drake's new three albums."

Cupcakes, Milestones, and Timing

The last course is chocolate cupcakes made by the show's culinary producer, Jeannie, which the members decorate themselves. They negotiate over sizes, with one wanting the biggest because it gives the most space to decorate. They taste the frosting and argue about whose favorite flavor it is.

While decorating, they talk about their career so far. One member says their favorite experience has been the festivals, Coachella or Lollapalooza, because those have "the best best best energy." Others add their Grammy nomination, VMA win, and AMA win, and describe the past year as "huge milestone things" happening "back to back to back."

Asked whether they would have imagined this five years ago, they all say no, or "not this soon." One member explains that the group used to talk about Coachella and the Grammys as goals about 10 years away, but "it happened two years down the line," and says they feel a lot of gratitude.

Credit to the Fans

The members spend the most time on their fans, whom they call "Icons." One calls them "the most passionate fans I've ever seen." They point out that many fans have followed them since their training days and Dream Academy, the competition show that formed the group. The fans voted them into the group, so the members say fans played a very big part in why they are here, or, as one puts it, the entire part.

One member says they "genuinely" love their fans and want that to come through in their performances. They add that the awards, nominations, and festival slots would not have happened without fans "consuming our art," supporting them, and telling friends about them.

A "Wild" Cupcake and Sign-Off

The decorating ends playfully. One member makes Disney-style ears because they love Disney. Another makes a pink cupcake for Megan with two cherries because she is "the dual cherry." The group discovers Pop Rocks, which one member admits they don't really like, and they decide to make a "wild cupcake" with one of every topping. Several members note that they keep picking the same decorations because they share the same taste and aesthetic.

The members thank Vogue, ask viewers to stream "Animal" and "Pinky Up," and announce that Wild comes out August 14th. They end with one more toast.