On April 20, Boys Planet revealed the final debut line-up of ZEROBASEONE, which saw Sung Hanbin in the second rank. Upon the reveal of the nine members who will be debuting from the survival show, each member was given some time to give a speech expressing how they felt. Sung Hanbin's speech turned heads as several people had an issue with one aspect of what he said.
As Hanbin expressed his gratitude to everyone who has helped him, his mention of Rapper Ravi, the CEO of Studio Glide, became the talk of the town online.
Several individuals are aware of the fact that the rapper has been involved in a controversy after his refusal to complete his mandatory military service. Hence, many were offended by Hanbin bringing Ravi into the picture.
Fans express mixed feelings towards ZEROBASEONE's Sung Hanbin mentioning Rapper Ravi in his speech
When it was revealed that Sung Hanbin had made it to the debut of ZEROBASEONE, fans were extremely happy about the same, given the extensive skillset he showcased with his dance and vocals.
After ranked in second place in Boys Planet's final ranking, he said:
"I firmly believe that the heart of supporting someone is never easy and simple. As each vote is precious, I'm very proud of where I stand right now. I got a lot of strenght from THE L1VE, Studio Glide, CEO Ravi, manager Jung Eun, who always rooted for me and stood by my side. Thank you so much."
What gained a lot of heat was his mention of Ravi, who became Hanbin's CEO, as the idol was housed under Studio Glide, one of the many labels established by the rapper. However, his speech sparked controversy due to Ravi's refusal to enlist in the military.
Earlier, it was revealed that Rapper Ravi attempted to avoid the mandatory military service that's followed in South Korea by forging an epilepsy diagnosis through his influence with a military broker. However, this was made public, which led to the rapper being sentenced to two years in prison.
His controversial stance has excluded him from several media-related events. His appearance on KBS and all his upcoming episodes of KBS' 2 Days &1 Night have been canceled. Since many have avoided speaking about Ravi, especially in public, Sung Hanbin's mention of him shocked and surprised people.
Many were instantly upset and angered by his mention of Ravi given the controversies that surround him. However, people also realized that he was in a situation where he had to mention his CEO. Since he's one of the very reasons Sung Hanbin is debuting into ZEROBASEONE, some fans belive it makes perfect sense for him to mention the rapper.
It is important to note that Hanbin's mention of Ravi doesn't refer to his stance on the subject. He mentioned the rapper's name only to express his gratitude to him. Regardless, fans were proud when Hanbin made a bold move to mention his CEO even though he was aware that it would land him in trouble.