QQQ

KB, JISUNG and NINE don't talk about QQQ the way most groups talk about a debut. The ambition is there, but they start somewhere else entirely: trust.

"Throughout all our activities, our bond has always been strong," they say, reflecting on the years that brought them here. That bond didn't need QQQ to exist – it was already there, running underneath everything, waiting. When the three of them finally came together under this name, it didn't feel like a beginning so much as a recognition. Something that had always been true was finally being said out loud. That reunion took deliberate effort – a decision made, a hand extended, a leap of faith from all three sides. The result is a group built on something more durable: the knowledge that these three are stronger together than apart.

[QtoresQ], their first mini album, arrived in February and immediately established what kind of group QQQ intend to be. The title is deliberately open-ended – a signal sent into uncertainty, a message that moving without a clear destination doesn't mean moving without purpose. "Even if we move a little slower," they say, "our direction as QQQ is to stay true to our own colour." It's a statement which carries real weight.

That tension between authenticity and expectation sits at the heart of lead single “UNCOOL” – a sharp, energetic track that rejects the pressure to fit in. The song moves with genuine conviction, cycling through frustration and defiance before arriving at something closer to a rallying cry. The lyrics push back against conformity, against the noise of a world that flattens individuality into trend, and against the pressure to be something more palatable. As a debut statement it's a risk – but it's also the most honest thing they could have opened with.

The decision to debut like this wasn't accidental. "We kept asking ourselves what direction was right for us and whether we should follow trends," they explain, "and after much thought, we came to the conclusion: let's make our own music." Rather than chasing what was current, they chose to define their own terms. "A world filled with everyone's different colours feels much more interesting than one painted in the same shade." That the song ends not on resolution but back on the problem – the doubt, the ongoing friction of figuring out who you are – feels deliberate too. There's no tidy conclusion. Just the work, which is exactly where QQQ are.

It's the kind of conviction that's easier to say than to act on, particularly when starting again. KB, JISUNG and NINE are not newcomers – they arrive with years of experience behind them, a devoted fanbase already in place, and the weight of expectation that comes with both. Asked whether all of this feels surreal, the answer is immediate: "It feels a bit surreal and almost like a dream. These days, I spend every day feeling excited and happy." There's no performance in that. It reads like relief.

The album itself carries that emotional register throughout. [QtoresQ] was built, they say, as an act of gratitude – something to give back to the fans who kept faith during the gaps. "We are still here," is the message at its core. "Just as you have been a source of strength for us, we want to be a source of strength for you." Four tracks, one clear intention: to reach people in the moments when they need it most. Beyond the album, their ambitions are equally direct – larger stages, bigger rooms, the kind of shows where every person in the audience already knows every word.

When they talk about what era this album belongs to, the answer arrives clearly. "This album represents a time when we found the courage to challenge ourselves once again." Some, they acknowledge, might say the timing was late. They're not interested in that framing. The dreams are still there, and so are they – still searching for the light, still moving toward it, guided in part by the people who never stopped watching for them.

QQQ are not trying to be everything at once. They're trying to be themselves, consistently, over time. "Like a fine wine that gains value with age," they say of [QtoresQ].

It's a patient ambition. And patience, it turns out, is exactly what got them here.

QQQ feels like a very exciting new beginning. What does it feel like to introduce yourselves under this name for the first time?

During our previous activities, our teamwork was always strong and we shared a very close bond, so we had always believed that we would come together again. However, now that it has actually happened, it feels a bit surreal and almost like a dream. These days, we spend every day feeling excited and happy.

The name QQQ uses the same letter three times. What does that say about how the three of you see yourselves as a group?

The three letters QQQ represent KB, JISUNG and NINE. The name QQQ was chosen to symbolise placing a dot on something that may remind people of our previous activities, marking a fresh start and a new beginning.

The album title [QtoresQ] talks about running without certainty but still finding a light. Can you describe a moment in your career when you felt that way?

We think this is one of those moments even now. Although we've made a fresh start as QQQ, we are constantly thinking about which direction we should go and what kind of image we should present, as we search for our own light. Whenever we face those moments, the many people who support us, along with our fans, help guide us toward the light, and we continue moving in that direction.

The album is described as a signal to your fans. What do you most want them to feel when they listen to it for the first time?

Our 1st Mini Album [QtoresQ] was created as a way to give back to the fans who have been waiting for us. It carries the message that we are still here, and just as you have been a source of strength for us, we want to be a source of strength for you as well. We hope that listening to our album gives you strength.

The title track UNCOOL has a message of rejecting the pressure to fit in. What inspired the decision to open with that message as your first song as QQQ?

We had a lot to think about while preparing this album. We kept asking ourselves what direction was right for us and whether we should follow trends, and after much thought, we came to the conclusion: "Let's make our own music." Rather than forcing ourselves to fit into trends, we believed it would be more cool to create our own unique style. A world filled with everyone's different colours feels much more interesting than one painted in the same shade, so we wanted to reflect that message in this album.

The lyrics also talk about forgetting the things you once loved and trying to find yourself again. Is there something you stopped doing as an artist that you want to bring back with QQQ?

We have so many things we want to do, and we still have a lot of dreams. Some people might say it's too late, but we don't want to give up. We want to achieve the things we've always dreamed of through QQQ, one by one – such as sharing great music and, more specifically, communicating directly with our fans in large concert venues.

Do the three of you have different roles when you are making music, or does it change depending on the song?

Our roles aren't particularly divided. We try to talk a lot and share our thoughts together. Even when we're working or recording, we don't just focus on our own parts – we give each other feedback and communicate throughout the process. We think that's what allows us to convey our story more sincerely.

If someone discovers QQQ one year from now and asks what era this album belongs to, how would you describe it?

We would like to say that this album represents a time when we found the courage to challenge ourselves once again. Although some might say it was a dream that came late, thanks to the support and encouragement of many people, we were able to bring it into the light. It was a truly happy period, as this album marks the beginning of that dream.

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This feature is taken from our fourth printed issue, available for purchase here.