Xiaojun and Seok Matthew Get Stuck in the Mudflats

K-pop group ZEROBASEONE member Seok Matthew is showing a looser, more personal side through his YouTube channel. His latest guest is Xiaojun of WayV, and the two spent a day at a Korean mudflat.

The episodes rolled out in two parts on his channel "Hey Bye Thew," on the 23rd and the 30th. Seok Matthew met Xiaojun early in the morning at the SM Entertainment building before heading out.

Introducing his guest at the top of the video, Seok Matthew called Xiaojun "a hyung I can be totally comfortable with and have 100 percent fun with," pointing to a closer friendship than fans might have expected between members of different agencies.

The mudflat trip did not go smoothly, which was the point. Both idols sank into the mud almost as soon as they arrived, losing their balance and flailing for the camera. They eventually caught a crab by hand, turning the outing into a messy hands-on experience.

The second half moved into the kitchen. Using the seafood they had gathered themselves, the pair cooked seafood kalguksu, a Korean knife-cut noodle soup, and octopus yaki. They leaned on instinct more than any recipe, and the unplanned mishaps gave the segment an easy, variety-show rhythm.

Seok Matthew has been using his personal content to show sides of himself outside of group promotions and stay in regular contact with fans. ZEROBASEONE, meanwhile, is preparing for a return to Japan. The group will release its second Japanese EP, "回帰LOVE" (Kaiki LOVE), on August 19, marking its first Japanese activity in about 10 months.

New episodes of "Hey Bye Thew" go up every Tuesday on the channel.