ZeroBaseOne debut album tops 1M sales, sets record

Boy band ZeroBaseOne became the first K-pop group to have sold over a million copies of their debut album, yet another record for the rookie boy band. The debut EP, “Youth in the Shade,” sold 1.24 million copies on the first day of its ...

Boy band ZeroBaseOne, also known as ZB1, pose during their debut showcase at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul’s Gwangjin District on Monday. The band is comprised of the top nine finalists of Mnet’s hit audition show “Boys Planet,” which ended in April. Before even making its official debut, ZeroBaseOne sold over a million copies of its first EP “Youth in the Shade” in preorders, setting a new record for a debuting K-pop act. It is the first K-pop act to reach million-seller status with its first release. [WAKEONE]

Boy band ZeroBaseOne became the first K-pop group to have sold over a million copies of their debut album, yet another record for the rookie boy band.

The debut EP, "Youth in the Shade," sold 1.24 million copies on the first day of its release, according to the band's agency WakeOne on Tuesday.

ZeroBaseOne was setting records before even its official debut. Its official Instagram page reached 1 million followers in just six days, and the debut EP had sold over a million copies in preorders, also a record for a debuting K-pop act.

Lead track "In Bloom" and five other tracks included in the EP also landed high on the real-time charts of Korean music streaming services, said WakeOne.

ZeroBaseOne — also stylized as ZB1 — is a project group formed through cable network Mnet's audition program, "Boys Planet." The group consists of nine members, Zhang Hao, Sung Han-bin, Seok Matthew, Ricky, Park Gun-wook, Kim Tae-rae, Kim Gyu-vin, Kim Ji-woong and Han Yu-jin.

Each of the members was a contestant under different K-pop agencies when they appeared on the show. ZeroBaseOne will be managed by WakeOne until January 2026 as a project group, and then the members will return to their respective management.

Member Kim Gyu-vin is recovering after feeling nausea Monday, and he visited a doctor for an examination, WakeOne said in a statement Tuesday.

To find out more about ZeroBaseOne, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]