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ZEROBASEONE 2026 KCON LA DAY 2 <\/p>\n
CJ ENM<\/p>\n
ZEROBASEONE <\/a>(ZB1) has become a fixture within the KCON scene, performing nine times at the popular Korean culture convention (one in Hong Kong, four in Japan, and four in Los Angeles, including last night<\/a> at the Crypto.com Arena).<\/p>\n This was the first year that the now-five-member group \u2013 Hanbin, Jiwoong, Matthew, Taerae, and Gunwook \u2013 headlined KCON\u2019s M Countdown concert both at KCON Japan (back in May) and Night 2 of the LA concert last night. The group was given an hour-long set, which they filled with popular songs like \u201cDoctor! Doctor\u201d and \u201cSLAM DUNK,\u201d along with tracks from their latest album, Ascend-, including \u201cTop 5,\u201d \u201cV for Vision,\u201d and \u201cZero to Hundred.\u201d Jiwoong performed his solo song, \u201cCLOSER.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the show, the group did some press to prepare for their showcase, constantly dropping hints about their plans. As now veterans of KCON, the members quietly gasped at the idea they\u2019re no longer the rookies of the popular convention, recalling their experience performing at KCON Japan in May 2023 even before their debut in July of that year.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore our debut, we were able to perform on stage, which was a meaningful start for us,\u201d Hanbin says through an interpreter the day before their M Countdown performance. \u201cBeing able to showcase our different sides as a group is honestly a very attractive point for us performing at KCON.\u201d<\/p>\n Oisobagi (SO JUNG HWAN X Kyehoon X PARK GUN WOOK)<\/p>\n CJ ENM<\/p>\n Hanbin wasn\u2019t kidding regarding the group showcasing different sides to themselves. The members (both current and former) have had opportunities to MC the shows, perform solo sets, create units, and collaborate with other artists. Hanbin has been a regular MC at KCON LA, Japan, and Hong Kong since 2024, making history as the first person to host all three days of 2025 KCON Japan\u2019s festival. At this year\u2019s KCON Japan, ZB1\u2019s Gunwook and Matthew performed aespa\u2019s \u201cDirty Work\u201d with JO1\u2019s Junki and Ren. Taerae collaborated with Kim Jaehwan to perform CNBLUE\u2019s \u201cI\u2019m Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n On Friday night for Night 1 of M Countdown, Gunwook teamed up with TREASURE\u2019s Junghwan and KICKFLIP\u2019s Kyehoon to form their KCON unit, \u201cOisobagi\u201d (named after the popular Korean stuffed cucumber kimchi side dish). The trio performed K-rapper Crush\u2019s \u201cRush Hour (featuring j-hope of BTS).\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis group [TREASURE, KICKFLIP, and ZEROBASEONE] is super fresh because we\u2019re [like] cucumbers,\u201d Gunwook explains. \u201cEach member [in this trio] is really the ace of each group. We\u2019re professionals. Each of our group colors and identities can be pretty different, but we harmonize really well and come together.\u201d<\/p>\n ZEROBASEONE 2026 KCON LA DAY 2 <\/p>\n CJ ENM<\/p>\n The members have collaborated with other artists for KCON, but have expressed interest in doing even more in the future. Matthew says the group has never done a team-up with another full group, and would like to try that.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d want to try to [work with] &TEAM,\u201d Matthew shares. \u201cLet\u2019s mix it up with P1Harmony! Yeah, those three.\u201d<\/p>\n When pressed for what name he\u2019d give the trio group unit, he is taken aback for a moment, wondering what name would fit the three K-powerhouses. He exclaimed, \u201cOh my goodness. Oh man, we\u2019re so wack!\u201d<\/p>\n He then realizes that\u2019s the perfect name, laughing, \u201cWe\u2019d call ourselves \u2018The Wack!\u2019 Roll with that!\u201d<\/p>\n As the main vocalist for ZB1, Taerae dreams of doing more vocal collaborations with the other main and lead singers of other groups \u2013 possibly more ballads. He says, \u201cI personally don\u2019t think I\u2019ve seen a lot of vocal stages [that have] collaborations among different groups. [We] can do a good song together.\u201d<\/p>\n Jiwoong expressed interest in working with Hanbin for a unit set. He couldn\u2019t come up with a unit name, but shared that together, they would \u201creally eat that stage up.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite ZB1\u2019s active participation in multiple KCONs, they explained that every stage \u201cfeels new\u201d to them, and they\u2019re ready to prove themselves on every stage constantly. Gunwook elaborates, \u201cObviously, KCON is a big stage. So whether I\u2019m alone or performing in different units and groups, [it] feels new to us and is a great opportunity to prove ourselves \u2013 and it\u2019s a big accomplishment for us. We\u2019re able to grow every time we’re on those different stages. It gives us the confidence that we can really do anything for any other stages.\u201d<\/p>\n Hanbin recalls advice he received as a rookie performing at KCON that stayed with him: \u201cBe cautious about becoming too familiar with either stages or performances.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo, in other words, that means to really treat every stage with a lot of value and meaning,\u201d he simplifies it. \u201cConsidering [the stages] as a new opportunity every time is something that we always had in mind, and it\u2019s really meaningful for us to perform again here.\u201d<\/p>\n Now three years in \u2013 and considered the seniors to the rookie groups, ZB1 has some advice for them. Matthew recalls being nervous for his very first KCON because it was the biggest stage that they\u2019d done at that time. He advises, \u201cDon\u2019t be nervous. Enjoy it. KCON is once a year (sometimes twice). It\u2019s such a special event where you get to meet a bunch of other artists too and see their stages. You can see [how they perform on stage] and have lots of chances to learn. Take your chance to learn what you can and enjoy as much as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n The group now takes KCON as an opportunity for them to have fun and do more covers \u2013 because the fans really like them. They\u2019ve previously done covers of Wanna One\u2019s \u201cEnergetic,\u201d<\/a> Red Velvet\u2019s Psycho, BLACKPINK\u2019s \u201cDdu-Du Ddu-Du,\u201d KAI\u2019s \u201cRover,\u201d and SHINee\u2019s \u201cSherlock (Clue + Note),\u201d to name a few. This year, the group performed two covers \u2013 Taerae sang IU\u2019s \u201cLove Wins All,\u201d while Hanbin, Matthew, and Gunwook performed Justin Timberlake\u2019s \u201cSexyBack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever we do a cover, [fans] have such high expectations now,\u201d says Matthew. \u201cThere\u2019s five of us now, [so] we gotta fill up the hour. So we have a lot of covers prepared. They\u2019re very special. One of them isn\u2019t K-pop, so it\u2019s gonna be very interesting, and we cannot wait for their reactions.\u201d<\/p>\n ZB1 also did a live debut of their new song, \u201cExotic,\u201d unveiling their intense (and sexy) dance routine. Matthew says the choreography \u201cslays,\u201d and that fans are gonna be \u201cbamboozled.\u201d He laughs, \u201cI don\u2019t even know how to say it. I can\u2019t wait for them to see it. [They\u2019re] gonna have a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n