The Rookie Group Whose Success “Shocked” Circle Chart Staff

K-Pop has seen its fair share of sensational debuts over the years but rarely has a group taken the industry by storm quite like this one. From meteoric pre-order sales to historical chart performance, their entrance into the world of music has set new benchmarks and left many seasoned industry insiders in awe.

The group is none other than ZEROBASEONE.

Formed through Mnet‘s reality competition Boys Planet in 2023, ZEROBASEONE has instantly become one of the most talked-about names in the K-Pop sphere. Managed by WakeOne, this nine-member ensemble – Jiwoong, Zhang Hao, Hanbin, Matthew, Taerae, Ricky, Gyuvin, Gunwook, and Yujin – possesses a blend of talents that is both eclectic and cohesive.

Their debut with the mini album Youth in the Shade on July 10 was nothing short of explosive. In the days leading up to their official launch, the album garnered an astonishing 780,000 pre-orders in just five days, eventually surpassing the 1.08 million mark by July 4.

This wasn’t just impressive — it was groundbreaking. With these figures, ZEROBASEONE set a new record for the highest number of preorders for a K-Pop debut album ever.

ZEROBASEONE's 'Youth In The Shade' has surpassed 1 million stock pre-orders in 13 days, biggest for a debut album by a K-pop group in history (@zb1_official). pic.twitter.com/j9Znol2lir

— chart data (@chartdata) July 4, 2023

Yet the magic didn’t stop there. Just eight days post their debut, the group clinched their first music show win on SBS M‘s The Show. For many groups, achieving such a milestone takes months, sometimes years. But for ZEROBASEONE it took a little over a week, further solidifying their position as the rookies to watch.

Their raw vocals are so good even when they were trying to hold back tears like we can clearly see they still tried to process the situation here aww :(( you deserve it zb1 ???? happy in bloom first win!! #ZEROBASEONE1STWIN #InBloom1stWin #ZB1stwin pic.twitter.com/X0eCqbvcz6

— han ✧ (@mattbinfilm) July 18, 2023

Steve Choi, the director of Circle Chart, couldn’t contain his admiration for the newbies.

Their performance is exceptional. It’s not just good. I’d dare say among all the rookie idols that have debuted, they have the best performance.

— Steve Choi

He further added how impressed he and other industry insiders had been with the young boy group’s success.

Even in a huge physical market like this, for a rookie to exceed 1 million copies is incredibly challenging. But who shattered our previous perceptions?

— Steve Choi

Choi even said the Circle Chart staff was actually shocked at the numbers.

The entire industry was shocked, as well as all the insiders and our staff at Circle Chart.

— Steve Choi

The group’s influence doesn’t just resonate through sales and awards. Fans have been incredibly vocal in their support, creating a tidal wave of momentum that shows no sign of slowing down. As if to cement their skyrocketing popularity, ZEROBASEONE is scheduled to hold their first fan concert at the prestigious Gocheok Sky Dome on August 15.

The journey for ZEROBASEONE may have just started, but their achievements already read like those of seasoned veterans. As the industry and fans alike continue to watch with bated breath, one thing’s for sure: the future of K-Pop is bright with groups like ZEROBASEONE leading the way