ZEROBASEONE Ultimate Guide: The New 5-Member Era Explained
ZB1's story is K-pop's project-group experiment at full scale: a double-million debut, the 2026 restructure to five members, and what ZEROSE should know now.
Who Are ZEROBASEONE?
ZEROBASEONE (ZB1) formed through Mnet’s survival show Boys Planet (2023), where nine trainees won their places in a live-voted finale. They debuted on July 10, 2023 with YOUTH IN THE SHADE and title track “In Bloom” — and immediately rewrote the rookie record book.
The debut EP sold over two million copies, making ZB1 the first K-pop group to debut as double-million sellers. For scale: most groups never reach a million with any release, and ZB1 did it with their first.
What followed kept pace: MELTING POINT (2023) sold another 2.1M+, they took a “rookie award grand slam” across Korea’s major year-end ceremonies, and their Japanese debut single broke first-day sales records for a K-pop debut in Japan.
The 2026 Restructure — Read This First
This is the part most outdated articles get wrong, so it’s worth being precise.
ZB1 began as a project group with a fixed contract period of roughly 2.5 years — the same structural model as I.O.I and other project groups. That end date was known from the beginning; it wasn’t a crisis, it was the design.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Feb 12, 2026 | Announced that four members — Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyuvin, Han Yujin (all Yuehua-affiliated) — would depart at the project’s end |
| Mar 15, 2026 | Final nine-member concert closed the first chapter |
| May 18, 2026 | Ascend- released — the first work as five, led by “TOP 5” |
The group now continues as five: Sung Hanbin (leader), Kim Jiwoong, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, and Park Gunwook — with activities coordinated by WAKEONE while members retain their individual agencies.
That last detail is unusual and worth understanding: this isn’t five members signed to one company, but five artists with separate representation whose group activity is coordinated centrally. It’s a structure built for exactly this situation — continuing a group past the project period without forcing everyone into a single contract.
Why “TOP 5” Is a Statement
Naming your first five-member title track “TOP 5” is not subtle, and it isn’t meant to be. A group coming out of a nine-to-five restructure faces one question from every direction — is this still ZEROBASEONE? — and the title answers it before the song starts.
Continuing after a project period at all is rare. Most project groups disband on schedule and the members scatter into solo careers or new groups; that’s the format’s whole premise. ZB1 is running the less-travelled path, which makes their next few releases genuinely interesting to watch rather than merely predictable.
The Anniversary That Wasn’t Merch
On July 10, 2026 — the third debut anniversary — leader Sung Hanbin donated 100 million won (roughly $66,000) to Good Neighbors, a global children’s-rights NGO, funding career education and scholarships for youth in crisis.
Anniversary donations have become a recognised gesture among Korean artists, and the amount here is substantial rather than symbolic. For a group in the middle of proving its second chapter, choosing to mark the date this way says something about the intended register.
Essential Discography
| Release | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| YOUTH IN THE SHADE | Jul 2023 | Debut, “In Bloom” — first double-million debut in K-pop |
| MELTING POINT | Nov 2023 | 2.1M+ copies |
| NEVER SAY NEVER | 2025 | First full album |
| ”Re-Flow” | Feb 2, 2026 | The nine members’ farewell single |
| Ascend- | May 18, 2026 | First release as five, led by “TOP 5” |
How to Follow
- Fandom name: ZEROSE (제로즈)
- YouTube: ZEROBASEONE official channel (@ZB1_official)
- The departed members remain active under their own agencies — following ZB1’s story now means following more artists, not fewer
Where to Start If You’re New
- “TOP 5” — the current era, and the most direct statement of where the group stands
- “In Bloom” — the debut, for the sound that sold two million copies
- “Re-Flow” — the nine-member farewell, if you want the emotional through-line
- Boys Planet clips — the formation story explains why this fandom is as invested as it is
FAQ
How many members does ZEROBASEONE have now? Five, since March 2026: Sung Hanbin, Kim Jiwoong, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, and Park Gunwook. They debuted with nine.
Why did four members leave? ZB1 was a fixed-term project group. When the contract period ended, the four Yuehua-affiliated members moved on as the agreements concluded — a scheduled ending, not a dispute.
When did ZEROBASEONE debut? July 10, 2023, with YOUTH IN THE SHADE.
Is ZEROBASEONE still under WAKEONE? Group activities are coordinated by WAKEONE while the five members keep their individual agencies — an arrangement built to let the group continue past its project period.
What survival show created ZEROBASEONE? Mnet’s Boys Planet (2023), with the lineup decided in a live-voted finale.
What is ZEROBASEONE’s fandom name? ZEROSE (제로즈).