K-POPIT/TV10 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Sung Hanbin’s solo debut came with a challenge he initially questioned whether he could meet. Introducing his first EP, DEAD:ALIVE, at an Oct. 12 showcase in Seoul, the ZEROBASEONE singer described repeated recording sessions that helped him develop a more confident approach to the new material.
The showcase took place at Layer Studio 11 in Seoul’s Mapo district, according to SBS. KBS World reported that the eight-track EP debuted Oct. 12, with “UNDEAD” as its title track. That gives listeners a specific starting point for the project, alongside the wider collection.
Speaking to reporters, Hanbin explained that the songs demanded a stronger, more outward vocal delivery than the warm, husky approach he was accustomed to using. STARNEWS’s Korean report describes him re-recording approximately four or five times as he worked toward his own sound and regained confidence in his ability to perform the material.
That account makes the debut’s growth story more concrete than a promise to reveal a new side. He identified a difficulty, returned to the recording and gradually found a way through it. For fans, the detail offers something to consider when listening: how he approaches material that pushed him beyond familiar choices.
The preparation also included support from his fellow members. Hanbin said he shared demos with them and asked for their thoughts. Kim Jiwoong sent a coffee truck to the music-video set, adding a practical gesture of encouragement to the process.
Those details show that an individual project can still develop within a network of relationships. Hanbin was taking responsibility for a release centered on his own performance while drawing encouragement from people who knew his work. KBS World also reported his intention to balance solo and group activities.
The emotional appeal lies in how confidence developed. An experienced performer can encounter unfamiliar demands, and preparation does not always begin with certainty. His account gives fans room to recognize the effort behind the finished work without requiring them to declare every song a success before hearing it.
For newcomers, “UNDEAD” offers an introduction without requiring a detailed knowledge of ZEROBASEONE’s history. For existing fans, his showcase remarks add context to the vocal choices he wanted to explore. The recording remains the place to hear those choices for themselves.
DEAD:ALIVE begins, in his account, with doubt answered through repeated attempts. The debut’s most useful story is the work behind that change: a singer testing what he could do, accepting support and finding greater confidence along the way.