Meet K-pop idol who started as BTS and Wanna One’s backup dancer but rose to fame as 5th gen boy group leader
This K-pop star kickstarted his entertainment career as a backup dancer for BTS and Wanna One. However, later he debuted as a member of 5th gen boy group, fulfilling his idol dream.
![Image from K-pop idol's Instagram Image from K-pop idol's Instagram](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-07/1136699241_sung-hanbin.jpg)
Today, we will explore the life and career of a young K-pop idol who debuted just a year ago. In the beginning, he almost gave up on his idol dream, pursuing a career as a backup dancer for popular groups like BTS and Wanna One. However, his forthcoming fame was waving him at the horizon and he marched towards it. Debuting as a member of the 5th generation boy group, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a K-pop idol.
Meet K-pop star who wanted to become a teacher as a kid
If you don’t have a guess yet, let us reveal, that the K-pop star is none other than Sung Hanbin, the leader of ZEROBASEONE (ZB1). Born On June 13, 2001, this young talent amazed fans every time with his versatile skills.
However, long before he dreamed of becoming an idol, he was interested in taking up an elementary teaching job after growing up. He also revealed, at points, that he also wanted to become a psychological counselor, but fate had something else planned for Sung Hanbin.
Meet K-pop star who was BTS and Wanna One’s backup dancer
Since his middle school days, Sung Hanbin honed his dancing skills, learning intricate genres like waacking, tutting, voguing, and freestyling. With this vast street dance knowledge, he wanted to pursue a dream of becoming a K-pop idol.
However, he almost felt like giving up and shifted his focus to becoming a backup dancer. During Wanna One’s BOOMERANG performance at the 2018 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer, Sung Hanbin was a part of the dance crew.
Then in 2019, he appeared as a backup dancer for BTS’ Dionysus performance at the MAMA Awards. He also performed alongside Korean rapper BewhY during the 100th anniversary of The March 1st Movement in 2019, which was also attended by South Korea’s then-president Moon Jae In.
Around this time, Sung Hanbin found the courage to pursue his idol dream again. He joined CUBE Entertainment as a trainee. To further hone his skills, he even enrolled in the K-pop performance department at Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts.
Sung Hanbin's rise to fame from Boys Planet
Jump cut to February 2023, Sung Hanbin participates as a contestant on Mnet’s survival show Boys Planet. He was representing his then-label Studio Gl1de.
During his appearance on this music reality show, the soon-to-be K-pop idol gradually earned the recognition he needed. From his irresistible charm to many talents, Sung Hanbin quickly earned the all-rounder title.
With 1,888 414 votes, he finished the competition in second place and was confirmed to debut with the next boy group by WAKEONE.
Sung Hanbin’s debut as leader of ZB1
On May 11, 2023, the rising star was introduced as a leader of the 5th generation boy band ZEROBASEONE (also known as ZB1). On July 10, 2023, Sung Hanbin debuted as a member of the nine-piece group with their first mini-album YOUTH IN THE SHADE.
His bandmates are Kim Ji Woong, Zhang Hao, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae Rae, Ricky, Gyuvin, Park Gun Wook, and Han Yujin. Apart from his leadership responsibilities, the K-pop star also contributes to the group’s vocals and dancing talents.
With his surging popularity, Sung Hanbin quickly became the talk of the town. His past waacking and tutting videos started going viral online and fans couldn’t help but praise his skills.
Sung Hanbin ventures into multiple fields
On September 1, 2023, he took on a new responsibility as the MC for Mnet’s music show M Countdown, becoming the successor of MONSTA X’s Joohoney. The K-pop idol further advanced in his career by reaching another great milestone. On June 6, 2024, he was announced as the new storyteller for Mnet’s I-LAND 2’s Part 2.
With this, he became the successor of Sweet Home actor Song Kang, who is currently serving in the military.
Though, it has just been a year since Sung Hanbin stepped into a full-fledged K-pop idol career, many upcoming achievements await him on the horizon.
ALSO READ: BTS’ Jungkook launches solo exhibition GOLDEN : The Moments in Seoul; know dates, location and more
![](https://www.pinkvilla.com/assets/images/newsletter-icon.png)