We’re on a steady march to ZEROBASEONE’s inevitable dissolvement/re-configuration. With their contract extended a scant few months, they’ve planned a final concert and special album set for release early next month. Leading up to that project, the group has promised two pre-releases. Running To Future is the first of these tasters and already feels like a swan song.
I’ve always been of the mind that a “final lap” of an artist’s career should be celebratory and exciting — not dreary and sentimental. That’s just down to personal preference, but the K-pop industry is clearly at odds with my thinking. They love a big, mushy ballad to mark these occasions. I assume we’ll get more interesting music in the coming weeks, but we’re kicking off the group’s final sprint with a mid-tempo heartstring-tugger that might as well have been picked from a bin of K-pop songs designed for this exact purpose.
Buoyed by a nostalgic clip show of behind-the-scenes material, Running To Future aims to tick off every trope it can manage. Sadly, the song itself is dull as can be, trading resounding percussive hits for tinny snare and trudging through a series of barely-there melodies that are constrained by their own lockstep structure. I’m a big fan of ZEROBASEONE but not always of the way they’re promoted and managed. This song feels too heavy handed and manipulative, like a treacly strings instrumental that swells up during an emotional scene in a drama. I don’t doubt the guys’ honest feelings about their journey so far and the road to come, but Running To Future simply feels like product for the sake of having product.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
afaik, you consider Shooting Star as the best (semi) swan song among their kind (Mnet group swan songs). wonder if you’ve listened to Parallel Universe by IZ*ONE, a song made by e. one and what you think about it.
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We are getting so spoiled by all the kBands becoming more of a thing, that to hear something with the traditional all synth ballad already feels old fashioned, so last year.
Really, I want to hear the full rock arrangement of this, shredding electric guitar with solo, real drummer going full out, deep bass line, live harmonies. That would be awesome. This song here as arranged merely meets expectation.
… … electric guitar solo especially, right at the peak break after a high note.
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It’s what I expected. I get all the past MV imagery+bts but it feels low effort and nostalgia bait-y. There’s better produced disbandment songs out there.
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I like the song just fine but yes to all of this, it’s exactly how I feel. their Japanese b-side HANA is a way better song that hits all the emotional spots in a way this song attempted. I hope the other songs are more celebratory of the last 2 years they’ve had.
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HANA is def their best ballad. Even I Know You know would’ve been better tho it’s kinda gimmicky.
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all their previous ballads are just better. HELLO isn’t my favorite but I prefer it over this. and Eternity is like the Korean HANA.
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I actually don’t mind the heartfelt disbandment ballad, but they work better if they can showcase the group’s sonic identity or their vocal strengths. I think that is what this one is missing. Could have been anyone’s disbandment song, just as Nick said.
7,8,7,8 = 7.5
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This is perfectly serviceable but Star Eyes (especially the subdued version they’ve been promoting lately) is their disbandment song to me.
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