Being a fan of any K-pop group often comes with the risk of witnessing an early or abrupt disbandment, whether due to shifting priorities, poor sales, or unforeseen circumstances. For that reason, there’s something almost clarifying about following a group whose lifespan is explicitly defined from the moment they debut.

ZEROBASEONE were created through BOYS PLANET, a survival show where 98 contestants from South Korea and beyond competed to make their boy group debut. The nine winners of this show – Hanbin, Jiwoong, Zhang Hao, Matthew, Taerae, Ricky, Gyuvin, Gunwook, and Yujin – were announced on the 20 April 2023 finale episode and officially debuted on 10 July 2023.

Groups formed through survival shows arrive with a unique weight of expectation, not only around their music but the limited time they have together. For many fans, predecessors like WANNA ONE and IZ*ONE carry a bittersweet legacy, where each release felt shadowed by an inevitable end. And yet, despite knowing how it usually unfolds, the pull of a new survival show group continues to draw fans back in.

In just two-and-a-half years, ZEROBASEONE embarked on two Asian tours, achieved a “Rookie Grand Slam” by sweeping Rookie of the Year awards, and released five EPs, numerous singles, and one full-length album. They were made to be temporary, yet their impact feels much stronger. After announcing a two-month contract extension towards the end of 2025, the group will now remain active until March 2026.

To celebrate the finite time they’ve shared together and the conclusion of their first chapter, ZEROBASEONE released RE-FLOW, a special limited album containing three emotionally driven tracks, on 2 February 2026. The album’s imagery leans directly into this sense of transition – concept photos show the members in graduation attire, caps thrown into the air, as if marking both an ending and the quiet promise of what comes next.

“Running to Future,” the first pre-release single, immediately settles into a reflective tone. The lyrics encourage fans to embrace the idea of saying goodbye to one another despite the negative connotations that typically come with doing so. Not once do they completely close the door on their chapter as ZEROBASEONE. If anything, the door is kept open just enough that fans are able to peek inside every now and then to relive their memories.

The song’s music video acts as a visual time capsule filled with different moments from their debut to “ICONIK.” Viewers follow a lit figure into a room labeled “710” – a reference to their debut date – before joining them through other rooms and hallways representing the group’s various eras. The overlaid animation is beautiful, with textures and colors that give the impression of a painting and add onto the emotional tenderness of the song.

It’s interesting that this track was released first, given how clearly the lyrics apply to their rapidly approaching disbandment. “Even our final page for now / Might begin a new story for us,” they muse, suggesting that this specific end doesn’t signify a complete wrap of their activities in the K-pop industry. With disbandment comes uncertainty, but also opportunity for solo careers, signing with new companies, or pursuing other areas of interest. They’re running toward the opportunities their futures will likely present to them while thinking of how they got there all along the way.

“ROSES” was released two weeks after “Running to Future,” and has a much more upbeat tone and sound. It holds much of the same sentimental value of the first track within the lyrics while evoking a more lighthearted feeling in listeners with its high-powered instrumental and soaring vocals.

The title itself is a play on their official fanbase name: ZE_ROSES. Through both direct and indirect references, this track’s lyrics uplift listeners to the point that they forget what made them so upset in the first place. By singing “Instead of saying I love you / I will be your roses,” ZEROBASEONE switches their roles to now take a supporting role as the main advocate for their fans’ happiness. It’s a heartwarming sentiment that ties this unique relationship between fan and musician up in a neat little bow, and the music video’s animated depiction of this relationship only strengthens these ties.

RE-FLOW comes to a close with “LOVEPOCALYPSE.” Released alongside the complete limited album, this track removes any filters from the message and speaks directly to fans about just how their love has made the group feel all this time.

The combination of “love” and “apocalypse” is enough to suggest a powerful realization of feelings. Through the lyrics, the group states that they’re “bound by fate” to someone who will ultimately become their end. The love they feel towards ZE_ROSES is much like the total destruction of the world as they know it – a dramatic statement that only amplifies the all-consuming relationship they’ve forged over the last two-and-a-half years.

This track’s music video is simpler than the others. It features less animated moments apart from the opening scene, interspersed moments of the bright figure falling into a new planet, and a gorgeous transition from an animated rose to shots of fans in a crowd holding up their lightstick.

As a whole, the video serves as the final chapter of the time capsule that started with “Running to Future.” Here, they’ve reached their future, achieved their greatest dreams, and give thanks to those who watched them perform on their HERE&NOW tour. To top it all off, as the final notes begin to fade out, the camera pans to a shot of hundreds of lightsticks shining in a venue while the members’ voices are narrating their final bow.

Within just three tracks that barely reach a runtime of 10 minutes, ZEROBASEONE covers all their bases. They thank fans for sticking by them despite their limited time together, reflect on the highs and lows of the last two-and-a-half years, and celebrate every moment they had as a group. While March’s contract expirations threatened to cover their joy in darkness, the group opted to shield fans with three tracks that speak to every ounce of gratitude they feel at achieving this dream even for such a short amount of time. To bring everything to a final conclusion, ZEROBASEONE is holding an encore to their HERE&NOW tour in Seoul from March 13-15 – a final curtain call that’s sure to end in bittersweet applause.