ZEROBASEONE has undoubtedly had a busy early 2026 with the release of their Re-Flow single album (led by LOVEPOCALYPSE), their final concerts as a 9-member lineup and contract negotiations (which led to four members, Zhanghao, Ricky, Kim Gyuvin, and Han Yujin, departing to re-debut as a separate group named AND2BLE later this year). Moving forward, ZEROBASEONE continues as a 5-member group, with Kim Jiwoong, Sung Hanbin, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, and Park Gunwook. Their 6th mini-album, Ascend-, dropped just yesterday and features the title track TOP 5.

ZEROBASEONE delivers a sexy, mature early-00s hip-hop and R&B sound in TOP 5 that feels very nostalgic to me. I quite like this track, especially with a clever title that might also be a play on themselves as a 5-member group moving forward. The groovy instrumental earns big ticks from me. The speak-rap delivery that serves as a primary hook for TOP 5 also works really well with this early-2000s hip-hop/R&B sound, and I genuinely enjoyed its flow. I liked how each member had a chance to deliver the hook in this motif, allowing each member to really embrace TOP 5’s sound. Some of the hooks are back up with really nice melodic vocal lines that add a smooth texture to TOP 5 that again works perfectly with the nostalgic profile. I do feel like TOP 5 could have been longer. The 2.5-minute length made TOP 5 feel swift and straightforward, but I think ZEROBASEONE could have done a bit more with the track (e.g., the instrumental break was too brief). But besides that, I really enjoyed their new single.

That sexy, mature vibe from the song was well captured in the music video for the comeback. The use of the shade black was very stylish and chic. The lighting and grey set design helped to bolden the black outfits the members wore, emphasising their good looks and fit bodies. I also enjoyed the use of the foreground and background throughout the video, which adds cool depth. Definitely a cool music video that works extremely well with the song.

There was a lot of opportunity in the performance that ZEROBASEONE really took and seized. The song allows for a flirty component in the performance that matches the mature, sexy vibe I keep mentioning, and the group infused it at the right moment in the routine. There was also groove and smoothness to the song that the performance also took on board, allowing ZEROBASEONE to really showcase their dance capabilities.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10