Zhang Hao (singer)

Zhang Hao (Chinese: 章昊; pinyin: Zhāng Hào; Korean: 장하오; born July 25, 2000) is a Chinese singer based in South Korea and signed under Yuehua Entertainment. He finished first in the reality competition show Boys Planet and debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band Zerobaseone in July 2023. He is noted as the first foreigner in history to place first in a South Korean idol survival show.
Zhang Hao was born on July 25, 2000, and is from Fujian, China. In January 2018, he participated in the national college entrance exam for arts students and ranked first in his home province of Fujian. He then enrolled in musicology at Fujian Normal University and graduated in 2024. While in college, he obtained his teaching certificate to teach music to secondary school students. He played violin, cello, viola, and piano. Zhang trained for 1 year and 3 months before joining the survival show Boys Planet.
On December 29, 2022, Zhang was unveiled as a contestant on Mnet's reality competition show Boys Planet, and the center of G-Group in the performance of Boys Planet theme song "Here I Am" (난 빛나), which was broadcast on Mnet's M Countdown. The show aired from February 2 to April 20, 2023. Zhang was one of eight trainees representing Yuehua Entertainment, and performed NCT 127's "Kick It" alongside fellow global trainees Ricky, Ollie, and Brian for his first star evaluation on the show.
On April 20, 2023, he placed 1st on Boys Planet with a total of 1,988,154 votes, securing his debut as the center of the South Korean boy band Zerobaseone (ZB1). The group officially debuted under WakeOne Entertainment with the EP Youth in the Shade on July 10, 2023. Zhang's solo track "Always" was also included in the EP, credited under the group's name. Later, he performed the song solo during the group's first world tour Timeless World and at the 2024 Music Bank Global Festival in Japan.
Beyond group activities, Zhang showcased his violin skills on multiple occasions. On October 21, 2023, Zhang performed g.o.d's "Road" on the violin in Knowing Bros episode 405. In the 87th episode of LeeMujin Service released on November 7, 2023, he performed BTS' "Dynamite" and Ive's "Either Way" on the violin in duet with host Lee Mujin on guitar. On November 28, 2023, he performed Boys Planet theme song "Here I Am" (String ver.) on the violin during the opening performance of the 2023 MAMA Awards.
On January 19, 2024, Zhang's first original soundtrack "I Wanna Know" was released for South Korean dating show Exchange 3. The song debuted atop the weekly Circle Download Chart in the chart issue dated January 14 to 20 and ranked at number 6 on the monthly Circle Download Chart issue dated January 2024. The song also reached number 9 on US Billboard's World Digital Song Sales. He performed the song at M Countdown on February 1. Later, the song won the OST Popularity Awards at the 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards and Zhang was noted as the first ever non-Korean artist to win at the Blue Dragon Series Awards. The song also remained on the Tencent Music Chart for 37 weeks, becoming the longest-charting K-pop song of 2024, tying with "Fate" by (G)I-dle.
Zhang also started gaining recognition in the fashion industry through magazines. On January 26, 2024, Zhang made his solo cover artist debut on L'Officiel China's February 2024 Issue with a pictorial titled "Zhang Hao's Languid Winter". He also featured with group member Han Yu-jin on the April 2024 cover of Cosmopolitan Korea and was noted as the first foreign male cover model for the magazine.
In June 2024, Zhang made his first appearance on Chinese television through the variety show Keep Running with group member Ricky. In February 2025, Zhang joined JTBC's pilot program Knowing International High School as a main cast member starting from episode 3. Through his appearances on various YouTube variety shows, including Salon Drip 2 hosted by Jang Do-yeon, Zhang was described by Ilgan Sports as an emerging "blue chip" in the entertainment industry.
In June 2024, Zhang was announced as the Chinese spokesperson of British hair care brand Tangle Teezer. It was reported that he plans to sequentially introduce various contents with the brand in the China region. In July, Zhang was announced as the youth ambassador of Thai cosmetics brand Mistine. In October, he was announced as the spokesperson of Chinese personal care brand Kustie, as well as the spokesperson of American skin care brand Olay for its skin and lotion products. In Zhang's second year of debut, various entertainment media reported that he has begun to solidify himself as a representative of K-pop in 2024 and as a 'blue chip in the advertising world' regardless of field.
In March 2025, he was announced as FILA Fusion fashion brand ambassador.
Zhang has also graced the covers of several fashion magazines, including Dazed Korea, L'Officiel China, Cosmopolitan Korea, Y Magazine Noblesse, Madame Figaro China, and SuperElle China.