In a recent episode, The King of Masked Singer unveiled a surprise that left viewers thrilled. The contestant who went by the alias Snow Flower Shaved Ice turned out to be the main vocalist of a project group formed on a survival show.

The episode introduced eight contestants, all eager to unseat the reigning champion. Snow Flower Shaved Ice and Parfait battled it out during the third match-up of Round 1. Their duet rendition of Park Joonghoon’s “Rain and You” mesmerized the audience and panelists. 

[C.C.] KIM TAERAE of ZEROBASEONE seduces the judges by his warm voice #KIMTAERAE #ZB1

Soloist Sandara Park lauded their performance, saying she liked Snow Flower Shaved Ice’s “boyish voice.” EXO’s Kai described his tone as “fresh and charming.” Singer Lim Hanbyul said Snow Flower Shaved Ice reminded him of a young Park Hyoshin, but noted that his stage presence was still a bit awkward.

Veteran singer Yoo Youngseok expressed surprise at the warmth of his voice, given his “cold alias.” He found Snow Flower Shaved Ice’s voice comforting and eagerly anticipated the revelation of his identity. All in all, their praise underscored Snow Flower Shaved Ice’s potential in the music scene, with his unique vocal tone marking him as a promising new talent.

“Snow Flower Shaved Ice” is ZEROBASEONE’s Kim Taerae

Despite the panelists’ compliments, Snow Flower Shaved Ice didn’t win the round. Undeterred, he stayed on stage to sing a heartfelt rendition of Lee Seokhoon’s “10 Reasons I Love You.” Halfway through the song, he unmasked himself. Snow Flower Shaved Ice turned out to be Kim Taerae, the main vocalist of the Boys Planet project group ZEROBASEONE. To say the audience was delighted to see him would be an understatement.

Everyone in the studio—not to mention those watching at home—couldn’t believe it was him. At the time that episode was taped, ZEROBASEONE had only been active for two days. (They debuted on July 10 with the mini album YOUTH IN THE SHADE and title track “In Bloom.”)

In a conversation with the variety show’s host, Taerae admitted to being nervous about his solo performance. He also revealed that his members joked, “If you get eliminated in the first round, go back to being a trainee.”

“It’s my first solo variety show appearance after debut, so I wanted to get off to a good start,” he said. “I appeared on this program because I wanted people who don’t know us yet to think, ‘Oh, this team sings well.’”

What’s next for Taerae

When asked what he wants to do next, Taerae said he wanted to win Best New Artist awards, a goal shared by the rest of ZEROBASEONE. After all, you can only win those awards once, when you’re a rookie.

Lim Hanbyul, a vocal master on Boys Planet, revealed that he recognized Taerae’s voice instantly. This emphasized his unique singing style and his potential in the music industry. This episode of The King of Mask Singer is a testament to the show’s commitment to providing a platform for talented vocalists to shine, regardless of where they are in their journey. – K-Pop Life

Featured Image: When Taerae tweeted this selca, a fan said, “Why are you so hot all of a sudden?” Source: Twitter/@ZB1_official.