The group ZEROBASEONE returned with 'mystery freshness' as 'vibrant youth.'
ZEROBASEONE held a showcase to commemorate the release of their mini album 'BLUE PARADISE' at 4 p.m. on the 24th at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and premiered their new song stage for the first time. It was a stage that completed ZEROBASEONE's unique 'mystery freshness' sentiment with a mysterious atmosphere and lyrical melody and lyrics.
Through this 'BLUE PARADISE,' ZEROBASEONE expresses the message that 'even sad (BLUE) moments are part of life, and our efforts to move forward are inherently brilliant and beautiful,' suggesting that PARADISE resides within us all, and they plan to show a more mature performance.
That day, ZEROBASEONE noted, "If the previous album, the 4th, 'CINEMA PARADISE,' unfolded a variety of scenes and narratives like a movie, this time we have tried to capture deeper emotions." They added, "This album contains a total of 6 tracks, where we explored emotions arising from the process of searching for the perfect BLUE PARADISE through a mysterious narrative. For the first time, we included unit tracks."
Also, this album contains their enriched musical expression and vocal spectrum. The total of 6 tracks, including their first unit song since their debut, unravel emotions such as sadness, anxiety, addiction, growing pains, obsession, and deviation as if unfolding a mysterious game. The evolved vocal and performance abilities of the nine members, who have experienced growth since their debut, are expected to be showcased.
On that day, Kim Kyu-bin greeted, "We have returned with a new album after 6 months. Please give warm support as it is an album we worked hard and joyfully on," and Kim Ji-woong added, "This is the first album released domestically in 2025, and it feels a bit nerve-wracking as it marks the beginning of the year, but I think it's a pleasant excitement," revealing his excitement about the comeback.
Sung Han-bin explained about the new album, "I wanted to show the members' growth in musical and performance aspects, so we prepared it with passion," and Ricky said, "I think we were able to grow one step further while preparing for this album."
The title track 'BLUE' is the second collaboration between ZEROBASEONE and hitmaker Kenji, utilizing the ambivalence of the word 'BLUE' to sing about 'a sad yet beautiful fated love.' The song conveys a refreshing sense of mystery through a contrast of cool synth sounds and emotional vocals.
Through this new album, ZEROBASEONE got the chance to collaborate with Kenji for the second time. They previously worked together on the title track of the last album, 'GOOD SO BAD.' Regarding this, Jang Ha-o said, "I was incredibly excited. I was proud that we received compliments saying our vocal skills have significantly improved. Since it’s our second meeting with composer Kenji, I think the outcome was just as good as we hoped," and Kim Tae-rae added, "I felt it was a song that matched the color of ZEROBASEONE very well. I appreciated that he paid attention to even the fine details during the directing process."
In addition, 'BLUE PARADISE' includes a total of 6 tracks such as 'DEVIL GAME,' which boasts a sexy groove with restrained drum beats; 'DOCTOR! DOCTOR!,' enriched with addictive melodies and the members' sweet tones; 'OUT OF LOVE,' which features the refreshing vocals of Kim Ji-woong, Jang Ha-o, and Kim Kyu-bin, brimming with the vibrant energy characteristic of pop punk; 'STEP BACK,' a unit song by Ricky, Park Gun-wook, and Han Yu-jin characterized by a lively melody line contrasting with a heavy track; and 'CRUEL,' a rock-based genre where listeners can experience the provocative vocals of Sung Han-bin, Seok Matthew, and Kim Tae-rae.
ZEROBASEONE is attempting a new concept called 'mystery freshness' through this album. The members explained about the 'mystery freshness' concept, saying, "It's a keyword that encapsulates the new image we want to show in this album. We tried to express ZEROBASEONE's unique freshness through the combination of a mysterious atmosphere and emotional melodies."
With this comeback, ZEROBASEONE will be active alongside reputable colleagues and seniors, including singer G-Dragon. Regarding this, Kim Kyu-bin noted, "I have really respected G-Dragon since a long time ago. It was an honor to be able to perform at the same time." He added, "I had hoped to meet him someday, and I heard about his appearance at the recent Mama Awards, so I carried the sneakers made by G-Dragon with me during our schedules to get them signed. Unfortunately, I haven't received them yet," revealing his special fandom for G-Dragon.
ZEROBASEONE, who debuted on July 10, 2023, is approaching their 2nd anniversary this year. During the two years of activity, they achieved meaningful accomplishments, including winning the top award at a recent music awards ceremony. The members also felt their growth.
Han Yu-jin expressed, "I think there have been many changes. Personally, I feel I have grown a lot on stage. It was an honor to share the process of moving from my teens to my twenties with the fans. I think it will remain as many memories," adding, "I believe my mindset has changed as well. I have been monitoring how I appear on stage to show a good side, and I have worked hard and grown from that."
Finally, returning with their new concept 'mystery freshness,' ZEROBASEONE stated, "Since this concept is 'mystery freshness,' we want to show a fresh image and reveal a vibrant and bright side through this album, aiming to earn the descriptor 'vibrant youth.'"
ZEROBASEONE's 'BLUE,' which offers the evolved vocals of the members and an elusive sense of freshness, will be officially released today (24th) at 6 p.m.
By Sun Mi-kyung