Sung Han-bin of ZEROBASEONE has issued a formal apology after sparking controversy over remarks perceived as having sexual connotations.

Apology to Fans

On September 7, Sung Han-bin shared a lengthy message on fan communication platform Bubble. "I sincerely apologize for my careless words and actions that made people uncomfortable," he wrote. He reflected on his behavior, adding, "I've been thinking a lot about how I should be more cautious in my speech and actions, and what kind of person I need to become moving forward."

Acknowledging his mistake, he explained that his comments were not intentional but careless. "Although I had no intent, I realized that ignorance itself can be hurtful," he admitted. Addressing ZEROSE (the fandom) and the public, he promised to take greater responsibility: "This incident will be a turning point for me to grow with more maturity and accountability."

Controversy Origin

The issue arose from an appearance on comedian Kim Dae-hee's YouTube variety show Kkondaehee, released on September 6. During the show, fellow member Matthew Seok teased Sung Han-bin, saying, "He always has a clean image, but whenever we go for a drive, he makes a strange sound going over speed bumps."

Sung Han-bin responded, "If you hit the bump too hard, your hips hurt—it's just a meme we use among ourselves," and then repeatedly uttered a word that some viewers associated with sexual moaning. Following backlash online, the production team edited out the segment.

Group Activities

Despite the controversy, ZEROBASEONE recently made a comeback with their first full-length album Never Say Never, continuing their rise as one of K-pop's leading fourth-generation groups.