The group ZEROBASEONE has completed its preparations for another leap with its first full album, which encapsulates the growth narrative from the past two years.
ZEROBASEONE held a showcase for their first album 'Never Say Never' on the afternoon of the 1st at Bluesquare SOL Travel Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, sharing stories about the new album.
ZEROBASEONE, which announced its comeback six months after the release of their mini album 5 'Blue Paradise,' said, 'While preparing for our first full album, I often reflected on the moments from our debut until now. I felt that I have grown during that process. I want to create good memories with our fans during this activity.'
Sung Hanbin noted, 'As it is our first full album, I feel very excited. We have always prepared to give our best since our debut, but this album holds more attachment because it captures two years of growth and change. I hope it will be a great gift for our fans who have supported all nine members from 'Boys Planet' until now.'
This new release from ZEROBASEONE, 'Never Say Never,' is the first full album the group has presented since their debut and captures the most shining moments on their musical journey, built together with ZEROSE, their fandom. Condensing the narratives of the past two years through the 'Youth Trilogy' and 'Paradise Duology,' it has completed the most iconic 'TEAM ZB1' synergy.
Kim Taerae explained regarding the album, 'While organizing the journey we have taken over the past two years since our debut, I wanted to show our unique colors beyond simply growth. It is a meaningful album that encapsulates the growth narrative created by the nine members from the formation of the team until now.'
Notably, top composer KENZIE participated in the creation of three tracks, including the unit songs 'Extra' and 'Long Way Back,' and the fan song 'I Know U Know,' alongside a number of prominent producers from both domestic and international scenes, enhancing the album's quality.
The title track 'Iconik' is a pop track based on a nu-disco sound, showcasing the intense presence of ZEROBASEONE, where not a single moment can be taken away. With a sophisticated groove and tight rhythm, the vocal chemistry of the nine members builds up throughout the song, culminating in an apex of energy.
Sung Hanbin expressed, 'I hope listeners can view themselves as icons. I want them to feel the positive energy and spirit of challenge.'
Jang Hao added, 'When I first heard the song, I felt a strong energy from it. I became confident that we could showcase our colors sufficiently. From the start, I thought that we not only need to exhibit our individual charms but also work well together as a team to create synergy. I want to show our growth from boys to artists.'
Having debuted through Mnet's 'Boys Planet' in 2023, ZEROBASEONE has now reached its second anniversary. Park Geonwook explained, 'While looking back on the footprints we left over the last two years in preparing this album, what I thought most about was youth. I believe it is contained somewhere in the hearts of the media and the public. I thought that having our youth remain as a singular meaning was significant. The title track 'Iconik' was created to express that symbolism.'
Regarding iconic moments, Sung Hanbin said, 'Every day after our debut has been a precious moment. Every day with ZEROSE is iconic. In our last activity, we ranked on the Billboard 200 chart, and at that time, I felt the most proud.'
On their initial entry into the U.S. 'Billboard 200' chart, Kim Gyubin stated, 'I was shocked and grateful when I heard that we ranked 28th on the Billboard 200 chart for the first time. Since this is our first full album, I want to surpass that record and race toward a career high.'
Furthermore, there have been reports that ZEROBASEONE is discussing extending their activities, with approximately five months remaining until the conclusion of their current schedule.
In response, Sung Hanbin said, 'We are having as many conversations and meetings as possible to talk towards a good direction for our best. Nothing has been confirmed yet,' adding, 'The most important thing is to show this regular album well to our loving fans, so we will also continue to grow and develop while engaging in this activity healthily and happily.'
Park Geonwook also said, 'I want to express that all of our members value ZEROBASEONE dearly. While we are currently connected as a team of nine, our nine members share a strong personal bond, so I believe fans will continue to see us smile and laugh together.'
Han Yujin remarked, 'We are having many discussions among the members with open possibilities in mind. I think we might make choices that fans and the public desire. But nothing has been decided yet.'
Finally, Kim Taerae said, 'I want us to be remembered as a team whose name ZEROBASEONE leaves a lasting meaning and message. We aspire to become an artist that will go down in K-pop history, creating many narratives and images.'
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