ZEROBASEONE (Sung Hanbin, Kim Jiwoong, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, and Park Gunwook) recently sat down for an interview at a cafe in Gangnam, Seoul, to celebrate the release of their sixth mini album, ‘Ascend-‘.
During the chat, Seok Matthew shared why he chose to stay with the group, saying, “I love being with the members. I never thought about going solo. I wanted to be together for as long as possible.” He emphasized, “If I can continue as part of ZEROBASEONE, I want to.”
Sung Hanbin added, “During our discussions, we felt that meeting members who are so like-minded was destiny. Although the final process was difficult, I made this decision thinking, ‘Wouldn’t the fans love to see this?'”
He further explained, “While we want to carry on the legacy of ZEROBASEONE, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to show a new side of ourselves. Since five members are different from nine, it feels like we’re putting on new musical and visual clothes.”
Kim Jiwoong noted, “When we promoted as nine, we focused heavily on the team’s identity. Now, we have a strong desire to bring out both the team’s and the individuals’ identities. Each member is putting in even more effort.”
The group also carefully touched upon their future activity period. Sung Hanbin revealed, “Although there was a set contract period, we are now promoting while keeping various possibilities open. Because of that, my sense of responsibility toward the team has grown even more.”
He continued, “It’s not that things have become easier. I’m just constantly thinking about how to channel the pressure. My passion and desire to challenge myself, both as a team and as an individual, are still huge. I believe I was able to step out into the world because I debuted as part of a team. I have a strong desire to maintain the home called ZEROBASEONE for as long as possible and build it even better.” He added, “Nothing has been concretely discussed yet, but I want to tell the fans they can feel reassured. I want to show you as many sides of us as possible.”
Park Gunwook also showed his affection for the group, saying, “The members often talk about working and making music together for a long time. As long as we stay on good terms personally, I think we can be together for a long time.”
