Zerobaseone leader Sung Hanbin is stepping out on his own for the first time, trading the group’s bright, youthful image for something darker and more intense.
Sung unveiled his first solo EP “Dead:Alive” at a media showcase Monday, describing the eight-track release as an opportunity to challenge both what the audience expects from him and what he thought he was capable of as an artist.
After debating whether he should build on the bright, youthful image he’s developed with Zerobaseone, Sung added that he was “ultimately more drawn to something new and intense.”
The EP centers on “self-transcendence,” portraying the process of confronting fear, breaking through personal limitations and emerging as a new version of oneself. Its lead track “Undead” pairs powerful guitar riffs, choir vocals and drums with a performance designed to highlight Sung’s biggest strengths as an artist: dance.
Sung cited Shinee’s Taemin and Exo’s Kai among the solo performers he studied and referred to while preparing and named NCT’s Jaehyun as a role model.
As the first Zerobaseone member to make a solo debut, Sung said he also felt a responsibility to set an example for his groupmates.
“I wanted to take the lead,” he said. “I thought that if I showed them a good outcome, the other members could watch me as an example and go on to do well in their own activities too.”
Looking ahead, Sung said he plans to balance his solo career with Zerobaseone activities, showing different sides of himself as both a group member and soloist.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com