From Wanna One, to Iz One, and beyond, ZeroBaseOne (so many “one”s!), are only the newest massively successful Mnet project group. That success has come through a variety of methods. For example, Wanna One catapulted to fame off their hit debut “Energetic” and the phenomenon of the Produce franchise itself, and Iz One found success through their singular ‘elegant’ concept. When it comes to ZeroBaseOne (also known as ZB1), the group have arguably hit it big on the shoulders of their members’ polished charisma and group chemistry.
That’s not to say that ZeroBaseOne haven’t released quality, hit songs, or that their generally cheerful style falls flat. However, their music so far hasn’t matched the star quality of the members themselves. Luckily, with their newest pre-release, “Doctor! Doctor!,” that may have changed.
Doctor! Doctor! Help me
Make me better, you got me so lovesick
Nothing matters unless it’s you, don’t need
It’s the L-O-V-Emergency
So begins “Doctor! Doctor!,” and those lines also sum up the track’s storyline. Wandering wide-eyed and forlorn through hospital hallways, ZeroBaseOne are overcome by an overwhelming love.
Besides it’s incredibly catchy refrain (an instant earworm), what immediately stands out about “Doctor! Doctor!” is its cheeky charm. The cute-ification of a hospital setting may understandably rub some the wrong way, but this off-kilter energy is also central to the track’s appeal. With its simultaneously melodramatic and blasé attitude, and soft but eery palette of pinks, blues, and creams punctuated by occasional neon lighting that alludes to medical machinery, “Doctor! Doctor!” casts a witty spell.
This level of nuance is new for ZeroBaseOne, who have often flip-flopped between stereotypically cheerful and intense concepts (for example, title tracks “In Bloom” versus “Crush,” or standout b-sides “Melting Point” versus “Kill the Romeo.”). The group are quite good at both, and some vacillation is understandable given the large age and style range among the members. However, good boy and bad boy is a false artistic binary, and “Doctor! Doctor!” proves that ZeroBaseOne are at their best somewhere in-between the two extremes.
The track’s tone can best be described as sweetly flirtatious and upbeat with the slightest knowing edge. It’s a gold mine for the members. In previous comebacks, different sets of individuals have taken center stage depending on how much they suited the chosen concept. In “Doctor! Doctor!,” no man is left behind.
Part of this is because the song has in-built flexibility: Younger members can (thankfully) stick to the calmer side of the spectrum, while more mature performers can lean into track’s idiosyncratic tendencies. The result is that ZeroBaseOne have never been so evenly matched and collectively relaxed, confident, and charismatic. They are in their element.
This is as much true musically as it is performatively. The song’s mellow style is very suited to ZeroBaseOne’s particular strengths, and their unusually strong but often underutilized vocal line has never sounded better. “Doctor! Doctor!” also provides multiple opportunities for members to shine in unexpected ways, like with Ricky’s falsetto-filled pre-chorus or Matthew’s rhythmic rap verse.
“Doctor! Doctor!” does fall slightly short visually. An opening and closing cameo by Jung Kyung-ho, while a perfectly good idea, fails to bring anything compelling to the table. Additionally, while the MV is full of fun and campy details, like a endless array of hidden-in-plain-sight heart shapes, it doesn’t push the huge potential of its aesthetic far enough. To be fair, the anticipation generated by the track poster, designed by legendary manga artist Junji Ito (a delightfully unexpected cultural crossover) raised the visual bar to near unreachable heights. Still, a handful of extra creative details would have gone a long way in pushing “Doctor! Doctor!” from a good MV to a great one.
Nevertheless, “Doctor! Doctor!” is something of a triumph for ZeroBaseOne. For one thing, it’s likely their catchiest song yet. It’s also, finally, a comeback that enhances ZeroBaseOne’s charisma instead of relying on it. It’s charm-bomb qualities are even more evident in its performance-form.
The only thing that casts a shadow over ZeroBaseOne and “Doctor! Doctor!” is time: The group are past the midpoint of their two-and-a-half-year contract. With the clock counting down, it’s easy to wish that ZeroBaseOne had cracked this particular code earlier. However, late is definitely better than never, and “Doctor! Doctor!” could mark the start of an exciting new creative era for this talented group.
