ZEROBASEONE Inch Closer to Superstardom on “Melting Point”

Boys Planet was a pop culture phenomenon. Can ZB1 build momentum with “Melting Point”?

Though there are more K-Pop reality competition shows than one can count, these shows have rarely produced superstars. The most legendary group to debut from a competition show is arguably IZ*ONE, a twelve member girl group formed from MNET’s Produce48. IZ*ONE not only became so popular that they produced some of the biggest singles in K-Pop, including “La Vie En Rose”, but many of the members have gone on to have wildly popular careers. JANG WONYOUNG and AHN YUJIN, originally Starship Entertainment trainees, became the frontwomen of IVE. Chaewon and Sakura, two trainees under Hybe Entertainment, are now members of LE SSERAFIM. Against the odds, IZ*ONE introduced several talented soloists, too, including KWON EUNBI, YENA, and LEE CHAE YEON.

But often competition reality show groups fall into the unfortunate category that KEP1ER find themselves in. The group debuted as a white hot juggernaut in 2021 with “WA DA DA”, but the popularity was hard to maintain. None of the girls in KEP1ER have reached the popularity of iZ*ONE members, and while their music can arguably be very good, they have yet to produce a single that is great. More troubling is that their music is faceless; a sound that shifts and changes as often as they hold a comeback. Their contract extensions, which are in discussions, are not necessarily a sign of a successful group, but a move to extend the girls’ visibility under WAKEONE Entertainment before they return to their own, much smaller, companies. 

From left: Sung Hanbin, Gyuvin, Jiwoong and Ricky.

The same could not be said for ZEROBASEONE, whose second mini-album “Melting Point” released this week under WAKEONE. They are perhaps the most successful K-Pop group formed from a reality show since IZ*ONE and at their current trajectory, they could very well pass IZ*ONE’s blockbuster success. 

ZEROBASEONE was formed on Boys Planet, a show that became a pop culture event in the same vein as Barbie and Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour”. Why Boys Planet became so popular, so fast is up for debate: Sure, it could have been the embarrassing clips of poor performances that almost instantly went viral on TikTok. But that’s not why fans stayed. 

What really drew audiences to Boys Planet was the sense that we were watching the birth of several new stars. The most instantaenous stars were Zhang Hao and Hanbin, who became revered for their perfectionism and drive to win. Their stories became most compelling when they would drop the wall, even for a moment, to show just how hard it is to maintain their level of perseverance. Seok Matthew of Canada also gained a large international following. His introductory catchphrase, “I love you, I want you, Seok Matthew”, made him instantly memorable, if even a little shameless. Jiwoong, who starred in BL dramas and debuted twice before appearing on Boys Planet, also stood apart for his visuals and cool charms. 

From left: Han Yujin, Gunwook, Taerin, Seok Matthew, and Zhang Hao.

But there were also dark horses, too. Keita, the fierce Japanese rapper, almost certainly had a spot secured in the group before Ricky and Gunwook muscled their way through to the top 9. 

When ZEROBASEONE was finally formed, after a near four hour finale, over 52 million votes were cast from 126 countries. 40 million of those came from international fans, demonstrating just how global K-Pop is today. And those fans were ready to work. ZEROBASEONE’s debut mini-album “Youth in the Shade” was a smash hit that sold over 1 million copies in its first week, and catapulted ZEROBASEONE into the top 5 best selling groups in K-Pop.

A sophomore album, though, opens any group up to new challenges, but this is a particularly important challenge for ZB1. How does ZEROBASEONE build off their odds-defying popularity? When the EP opens with “Melting Point,” which doubles as the album’s title, it almost sounds as if ZB1 will continue where they left off, creating dreamy pop songs. “Melting Point” is lush and heavy on the harmonies. ZB1 has gifted vocalists in Zhang Hao, Hanbin and Kim Taerin, but all of Boys Planet's best vocalists were voted out. ZEROBASEONE cannot hit the same notes as Jay Chang or Pentagon’s Hui. But they’ve found ways to work around these limitations, and their honey vocals still radiate on tracks like “Melting Point”. 

As the EP revs up, though, changes begin to emerge. “Take My Hand”, the second track, features the EP’s most interesting production that begins with a twangy, creaky guitar. “Take My Hand” sounds almost retro, as if it’s a b-side from second generation K-Pop, and unique. It’s also highly romantic, a quality that ZB1 adapts more overtly on this album. 

“CRUSH”, the title track, takes the “everything but the kitchen sink” approach literally as the drumming of pots and pans is actually part of the production. This drop and the chorus that follows are, to be blunt, not their best. The video, which relies as heavily on the CGI as the choreography, adds to the song’s disorientation. This style of music is a shift in strategy from WAKEONE to likely diversify the group’s discography. But in toughening up their sound, ZB1 abandons what makes them so winning, that being an innate ability to soften you up. 

The final two tracks make up for what “CRUSH” lacks, though. “Good Night” is the kind of syrupy sweet K-Pop track that I miss in a landscape of boys acting hard. “Good Night”, like “Take My Hand”, sounds like it belongs in another, more nostalgic generation of K-Pop. But my favorite track,“Kidz Zone”, which reaches an emotional catharsis as the boys reflect on their friendship. Boys Planet did a good job of portraying how their bonds grew over the series. Many of the members became best friends by the end of the show, and on the reality shows that followed, they’ve developed an eased rapport that many groups still don’t possess years into their career. “Nothing is impossible”, they sing on “Kidz Zone”, now that they’ve found each other. Sure, it’s a little hammy, but the boys sell it. 

The message feels clear: ZB1 may become one of the most popular groups in K-Pop, and if so, they’ll do it as friends.