‘New record group’ ZEROBASEONE will once again challenge themselves to set a record with their new album to be released in February.

According to their agency Wake One on the 16th, they have finalized the release date for their 5th mini-album, which they have been preparing for, as the 24th of next month and have begun full-scale preparations.

The reason why ZEROBASEONE‘s comeback is drawing attention inside and outside the music industry is because they have won the ‘Million Seller’ title for four consecutive albums, from their debut album ‘Youth in the Shade’ in July 2023 to their 4th mini-album ‘Cinema Paradise’ in September of last year.

Formed through Mnet’s audition program ‘Boyz Planet’, they have been building up records from the beginning while gathering a strong Asian fandom. ‘Youth in the Shade’ sold 1.82 million copies in its first week (initial week) of release, becoming the first ‘debut album to sell millions of copies in its first week in K-pop history.

They continued this record-breaking performance with their 4th mini-album ‘Cinema Paradise’ in September of last year, proving their solid ‘album power’. Their 2nd mini-album ‘Melting Point’ (2.1 million copies) in November 2023, ‘You Had Me At Hello’ (1.35 million copies) and ‘Cinema Paradise’ (1.1 million copies) in May of last year all became ‘million-sellers’ based on initial week sales alone.

Aiming for ‘5 consecutive million sellers’, they plan to raise the heat through various means such as pre-releasing the tracks included in their 5th mini album and releasing a Japanese album ahead of its release.

They plan to solidify their position on the music charts by pre-releasing the song ‘Doctor! Doctor!’ (Doctor! Doctor!) included in their 5th mini album on the 20th. According to their agency, the song is an addictive, easy-listening song that likens the emotions of love to a hot fever.

They will release their 1st EP ‘Present’ in Japan on the 29th. They will repay the love of their local fans by containing a total of 6 songs, including 4 original Japanese new songs and Japanese versions of 2 songs from their Korean promotions. On the 15th, they began to gather attention by previewing ‘Now or Never’, one of the double title tracks of ‘Present’.

They will also attend the ‘1st The Awards with U-Pick’, which will be held at the Hwajung Gymnasium of Korea University in Seoul on February 22nd, two days before their official comeback. ‘The Awards’ is hosted by Sports Donga and co-hosted by ‘U-Pick’ and WSM.



Reporter Yoo Ji-hye yjh0304@donga.com