ZeroBaseOne’s Seok Matthew and Park Gun-wook launch EMP subunit

Two members of the boy band ZeroBaseOne, Seok Matthew and Park Gun-wook, will debut as a subunit, their agency WakeOne Entertainment announced Friday.

Called ZeroBaseOne EMP, the duo marks the band's first subunit since its 2023 debut.

The name EMP is drawn from "electromagnetic pulse," reflecting an aim to create a space where only the two members' music exists, the way an EMP blast cuts off all surrounding sound. The agency said the name is also shorthand for Extra MTT and PGW, the members' initials, with "extra" signaling music that goes beyond the ordinary.

ZeroBaseOne EMP is set to release its first mixtape on Monday at 6 p.m., marking the duo's first release.

A mixtape in K-pop is typically a self-produced, informal release that members write, compose, or produce themselves, released ahead of an official album or EP. It's often used to signal that the material is more personal or experimental, and to spotlight the members' own musical input rather than a fully company-produced project.

ZeroBaseOne, also known as ZB1, formed through Mnet's boy band audition program "Boys Planet" (2023), debuted as a nine-member band in July 2023. The band is best known for songs such as "In Bloom" (2023), "Feel the POP" (2024) and "Sweat" (2024).

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]