Seok Matthew and Park Gunwook, members of WakeOne’s ZEROBASEONE, have announced the September 21 release of their long awaited sub-unit project under the duo name ‘EMP.’

On September 18, a video uploaded to ZEROBASEONE’s official social media channels revealed the sub-unit’s name and logo in a series of shifting black and white graphics. Rough textures, sketched typography and static effects offer a sensory focus while hinting towards a darker concept distinct from the polished concept of ZEROBASEONE’s previous album Ascend-.

EMP holds several meanings. Typically, the acronym stands for “Electro Magnetic Pulse,” referring to a short, sudden burst of electromagnetic energy that often overloads electronics and power grids. A Naver article shared by the company suggests that this idea embodies the duo and their ambition to create a space where all other sounds are blocked by the power of their music.

For Matthew and Gunwook, it also represents their names and the introduction of a new side to them as artists. EMP breaks down into “Extra MTT(Matthew) PGW(Park Gunwook),” taking letters from their names. “Extra” indicates the intention for the duo to show more of their artistry, but also to present something extraordinary. The combination of rough, electric theming, an extraordinary ambition, and the personal, representative touch drives curiosity over what sound will be unveiled on September 21.

The release marks ZEROBASEONE’s first official sub-unit. Though they debuted in 2023, the group underwent a reorganization earlier this year due to company disputes. Of the new five-member line-up, only Kim Jiwoong has released a project as an individual outside of group activities – his most recent single, “DRIVE,” came out on September 14 - but their leader Sung Hanbin has also announced a debut solo album for October 12. On top of this new announcement of EMP, it seems like ZEROBASEONE is taking the reshuffle as an opportunity to experiment with new, individual approaches.

The key difference here is that Matthew and Gunwook exist as EMP under WakeOne and the ZEROBASEONE umbrella, whereas Jiwoong and Hanbin relied on separate companies and contracts to produce their music. Hanbin sits under THE L1VE LABEL, while Jiwoong is under Nest Management. This may cause EMP’s sub-unit to receive greater promotion, and to take a more cohesive approach in relation to ZEROBASEONE as a whole. At the same time, it opens up the possibility of future ZEROBASEONE sub-units.

EMP’s debut will take the form of a “mixtape,” though WakeOne’s meaning of the term has not yet been detailed. Traditionally, it suggests that the project has looser constraints than that of an album or EP and brings back a rookie feeling. Given the logo and video teaser’s rough framing of the release, it is likely that this word choice ties into the concept – whether it will impact the music itself and its level of polish is currently unclear.

The mixtape is due to release next week, shortly after the announcement, on September 21.