ZEROBASEONE

Zerobaseone, the South Korean boy band assembled as victors of the 2023 reality competition Boys Planet, have cultivated a signature romantic pop style that merges present-day electronic dance textures with nostalgic echoes of early-'90s R&B. Their recording career began the same year with the EP Youth in the Shade, succeeded by Melting Point and the 2024 release You had me at HELLO.

WakeOne oversees the group, which came together in 2023 through Mnet’s survival program Boys Planet. That series gathered 98 aspirants representing multiple nations, all competing for spots in the eventual lineup. The April 20 finale disclosed the nine successful members: Kim Ji-woong, Zhang Hao, Sung Han-bin, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, Park Gun-wook, and Han Yu-jin.

Immediately after the victory, Zerobaseone issued their debut single “In Bloom,” a romantic, synthy anthem that served as the lead track for their first EP. Youth in the Shade arrived in July 2023 and included “In Bloom” alongside the similarly catchy numbers “Back to Zerobase,” “New Kidz on the Block,” and “And I.” The project reached number two on both the South Korean and Japanese charts. Melting Point followed swiftly, a five-song collection anchored by “CRUSH.”

In 2024 the band turned toward Japan with the single “Yura Yura (Unmei no Hana),” backed by Japanese-language editions of “In Bloom” and “CRUSH.” Later the same year they unveiled their third EP, the summery You had me at HELLO, which contains “Feel the POP” and “SWEAT.”