"I Wanted to Run Away": ZEROBASEONE's Sung Han Bin Reveals a New Side With Solo Debut

K-POP group ZEROBASEONE leader Sung Han Bin is revealing a new side of himself with his first solo EP, "DEAD:ALIVE," which pairs an intense sound with powerful performances.

Sung held a showcase for the EP on Oct. 12 at Layer Studio 11 in Seoul's Mapo district. He is the first member of ZEROBASEONE to release a solo album.

"It's an honor to present my first solo album," Sung said. "This is such a meaningful moment, and I want to show you everything I've prepared."

ZEROBASEONE began a new chapter this year after reorganizing as a five-member group. Asked why he chose to make his solo debut at this point, Sung said, "As we wrapped up one phase of group activities and began another, I felt a change was necessary."

"DEAD:ALIVE" explores the process of confronting fear and breaking through personal limits, describing that journey as "beautiful destruction." The lead single, "UNDEAD," combines a powerful guitar riff with sweeping choral vocals and dynamic drumming. Its lyrics express the determination to endure pain and hardship for oneself and others.

The intense concept marks a departure from the bright, youthful image Sung has presented through his group activities. "I considered building on what I've done so far to present a bright, youthful image, or showing a side no one would expect," he said. "I was more drawn to the latter, something new and intense."

Sung also incorporated his tattoo into the album's visuals. "I thought about what would make the experience more immersive and incorporated several visual elements," he said. "One of the main ones was using my tattoo as a symbol, since it's part of my identity."

He pointed to the sun, moon and star tattoo below his neck. "I wanted to incorporate it into the album," he explained. "It appears in various elements of the music video and is also reflected in the album logo."

Although Sung is in his fourth year since debut, preparing a solo album brought unfamiliar challenges. "I'm in my fourth year, but this is my first solo project, so there were many difficulties and things I hadn't encountered before," he said. "Rather than taking an easy or comfortable route, I approached this with the intention of growing through the experience."

A former member of a dance crew, Sung challenged himself even in his strongest area. "Dance is my strength and something I'm confident in," he said. "After a lot of thought, I took on the challenge of leaving tutting out of the lead single's choreography to show a new side of myself."

The recording process also tested him. Sung said there were moments when he wanted to leave the studio and escape the pressure. "The song is in a high register, and I have a soft, husky voice, so I've mostly sung songs with a warm, gentle feel. This song is much more intense," he explained.

"Singing in an unfamiliar style was stressful, but I used the process of re-recording five times as an opportunity to grow," he continued. "I used to think I couldn't sing songs like this, but realizing that I could helped me regain my confidence."

Sung named NCT's Jaehyun as his role model, saying he had admired him since before appearing on the survival show that led to his debut. "What I most want to emulate is the aura he has even when he stands alone," he said. "I think a solo artist needs that kind of presence to draw the attention of both the public and fans."

Being ZEROBASEONE's first member to make a solo debut also brought a sense of responsibility. "I wanted to lead by example, and I worked harder because I thought that if I did well, it could help the other members do even better in their own activities," Sung said. "My goal is for the members to see how hard their leader is working and think, 'I want to become even better too.'"

The members supported him throughout the preparations. "I asked the members for their opinions as soon as I received the demo," Sung said. "Our oldest member, Kim Ji Woong, sent a coffee truck to the music video shoot and was very supportive."

Sung plans to continue both group and solo activities. "I promoted with ZEROBASEONE in May, and now I'm doing solo activities," he said. "I plan to keep doing both."

"Through my solo work, I want to show different sides of myself," he added. "There will also be content that shows sides of me you haven't seen before."

"DEAD:ALIVE" is set for release at 6 p.m. KST on Oct. 12 across major music platforms. At 8 p.m. KST that day, Sung will hold a "Curating Session" at Layer Studio 11, introducing the stories behind his first solo album through an exhibition, performances and a talking section.