ZeroBaseOne will continue as a five-member group after four members exited at the end of their project contracts, with the group's agency describing the next phase as a "new season" for the act.
WakeOne said in a statement that Sung Han-bin, Kim Ji-woong, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae, and Park Gun-wook chose to stay together under the ZeroBaseOne name after long discussions with the company and their individual agencies.
The agency emphasized that the decision came from "strong trust" between the parties and promised to give full backing so the new lineup can continue activities smoothly, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.
The four departing members — Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, and Han Yu-jin — have wrapped up their time in the project group and will prepare for future careers under their original management. WakeOne thanked them for their work in ZeroBaseOne and asked fans to keep supporting them as they move on to new opportunities.
ZeroBaseOne was created through Mnet's survival show "Boys Planet" and debuted in July 2023 with nine members on a fixed-term contract. The group quickly drew a large following and recorded multiple million-selling releases, marking it as one of the more successful recent K-pop project acts, chosun reported.
The project was originally scheduled to end in early 2026, but the members agreed last year to prolong activities for about two more months. During this extended period, the group is promoting a special album and will hold an encore concert in Seoul in March.
WakeOne has confirmed that this show, part of the "2026 Zerobaseone World Tour [HERE & NOW] ENCORE," will still feature all nine members together on stage before the reorganization takes effect.
The agency framed the five-member format as the beginning of a fresh chapter rather than a disbandment, saying the music and achievements built by all nine members will continue to influence activities going forward. Details on future releases and schedules for the reorganized lineup are expected once planning is complete, as per soompi.
