ZEROBASEONE Extends Contract Through March 2026, Announces New Album
ZEROBASEONE will continue as a complete nine-member group through March 2026 after all members unanimously agreed to a two-month contract extension. The announcement on December 1 ends months of speculation about the project group's future beyond their original January 10, 2026 disbandment date.
WakeOne Entertainment confirmed the extension comes with concrete plans. The group will release a new album and hold an encore concert for their 2025 World Tour "HERE&NOW" before activities conclude in March. "The members united to prepare an encore concert and new album to express their gratitude through music and performances," the agency stated.
ZEROBASEONE, formed through Mnet's "Boys Planet" survival show, debuted on July 10, 2023 with a fixed two-and-a-half-year contract. The extension decision reflects the unprecedented success they've achieved and the strong bond between members and their fandom ZEROSE.
Contract talks began early this year but remained uncertain for months. At the September media showcase for "NEVER SAY NEVER," leader Sung Hanbin told reporters the group was having extensive discussions but nothing had been finalized. "What matters most right now is sharing a meaningful first studio album with the public and our fans," he said at the time, adding they wanted to finish promotions "healthy and happy."
The commercial case for extension is strong. ZEROBASEONE has become the first K-pop group to achieve six consecutive million-seller albums starting from debut. Their first studio album "NEVER SAY NEVER," released September 1, sold 1.1 million copies on its first day and made them the fastest group to reach nine million cumulative album sales within two years.
Each release has surpassed one million first-day sales: "Youth in the Shade" (1.24 million), "Melting Point" (1.45 million), "You had me at HELLO," "CINEMA PARADISE," "Blue Paradise," and "NEVER SAY NEVER." The debut album eventually exceeded two million total sales, making it the first K-pop debut album to reach that milestone.
Their global reach extends beyond album sales. "Blue Paradise" marked their Billboard 200 debut earlier this year, while their Japanese debut single "Yura Yura" earned Gold Disc certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan. Title track "ICONIK" has topped 50 million YouTube views and swept all major weekly South Korean music shows.
The ongoing "HERE&NOW" World Tour has sold out major venues across Asia. After three packed shows at Seoul's KSPO Dome in October, the group performed to sold-out crowds in Bangkok, Saitama, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong through December. Their previous "Timeless World" tour drew approximately 140,000 attendees, proving consistent demand.
WakeOne's announcement emphasizes fan devotion as a key factor in the extension. "We decided to extend our activities to meaningfully continue the time we've shared with fans worldwide," the statement read. The decision required coordination across multiple agencies since members come from different companies, making such agreements notably complex for project groups.
The nine-member lineup consists of Kim Jiwoong, Zhang Hao, Sung Hanbin, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, Ricky, Kim Gyuvin, Park Gunwook, and Han Yujin, representing South Korea, China, Canada, and Taiwan. This multinational composition has helped drive international appeal across different markets.
With activities now extended through March 2026, fans can expect at least one more comeback and encore performances. The group's album message "NEVER SAY NEVER"-that persistence makes anything possible-proved fitting as they successfully negotiated more time together despite the challenges facing project groups.
