QQQ starts anew as a trio, shares the meaning behind their debut project 'QtoresQ'

Formerly of OnlyOneOf, KB, JISUNG, and NINE embark on a new chapter of their idol careers—this time, rebranding as a trio with the eye-catching name, QQQ.

In February, QQQ finally introduced themselves to the world with the mini-album 'QtoresQ,' marking a fresh start for the trio. Consisting of four tracks—"UNCOOL," "QtoresQ," "Rainbow shade," and "Burnaway (into the fire)"—the project serves as a signal from the members to their supporters, conveying a message of finding light in one another through the darkness.

In April, QQQ continued their global activities by holding a show in Tokyo. They are set to perform in Taipei and Seoul on May 2 and May 9, respectively.

Following their debut as a trio, allkpop chatted with KB, JISUNG, and NINE to discuss the meaning behind their name, the creation of 'QtoresQ,' and their goals for the future.

Check out our exclusive interview with QQQ below!

allkpop: Before we start, please introduce yourselves and share a “TMI” or one or two fun facts about each of you.

JISUNG: My TMI for today is that we have a fan sign scheduled after this interview. It's a conceptual fan sign with a “pajama party” theme. Originally, we were supposed to wear our pajamas from here, but since we had this interview and wanted to look cool, I decided to dress up now and change into my pajamas later.

NINE: It makes me really happy to see the members flustered since we’re doing this interview without an interpreter today. It's fun. I think that's my TMI. I’m so happy to meet you. I hope we have a happy interview today. Thank you.

KB: I’m the one called the “hot guy.” My TMI is that I asked the members to wait for me on the way here today, but I took over 30 minutes drying my hair, so I was a bit late. I also overslept, so I didn’t have time to choose my outfit—so I’m actually wearing my younger brother’s clothes.

allkpop: For those just getting to know you, could you share the meaning behind the group name QQQ?

KB: First of all, we wanted to carry on the name of the group we were originally in. The abbreviation for that was O.O.O., And If you look at it a certain way, O.O.O. can look like QQQ. We wanted to keep that spirit alive.

JISUNG: Actually, at first, when KB suggested the team name, he said it very casually. He just said, “Since it’s O.O.O., how about QQQ?” It was a very light decision, but it stuck with us immediately. We all liked it. It was a unanimous decision. So, the name was decided very easily and quickly.

allkpop: How about the meaning behind the album, ‘QtoresQ’?

QQQ: Our first mini-album is titled ‘QtoresQ.’ Many people are curious about the meaning, so let us explain. It means “Q to rescue.” Everyone goes through hard times, including us. That “Q” isn’t fixed—it could be us, it could be the fans, or it could even be the staff at allkpop. It carries the meaning of rescuing each other when we are having a hard time.

allkpop: How does it feel to be debuting as a trio? What was your initial reaction when you found out you would be debuting together as QQQ?

JISUNG: Well, for these two, although the seven of us originally promoted together, I left for a while, and NINE and KB continued their activities. Because of that, I had a lot of worries. I wondered, “Since they’ve been active and I took a break, will I be able to blend in with them well again?” We were very close when we did activities in the past, but doing it again after a long time made me nervous. But KB is so reliable, and even though NINE is the youngest, he has an “older brother” vibe. They helped me a lot, so I’m living every day happily and joyfully lately.

NINE: Just the fact that the three of us can do this together felt so amazing. I was so grateful that JISUNG is back after a long time. I’m thankful he made such a big decision. I’m also grateful we can let people hear our voices as a trio. Knowing there are fans who were looking forward to this synergy was a huge source of gratitude. Even our families said, “This is so great” and “It will go well,” which gave us strength. What made me realize our bond is still so strong is how we still bicker like brothers. Seeing that these hyungs are still like “immature rascals,” I thought, “Ah, we’re okay. I can still trust them and move forward.” It's been really fun. As this promotion period winds down, I’m looking forward to our future activities. It's going to be fun.

KB: There was a lot to look forward to. He’s lost some of his spark lately, but he used to be so funny. I was looking forward to that “tiki-taka” (back-and-forth banter) and thought the preparation process would be fun. It turned out to be even more fun than expected, and I’m excited for how much more fun we’ll have.

allkpop: What was the preparation process like for the mini-album? Compared to your past experiences, what felt different this time, and were there any major adjustments you had to make?

QQQ: Usually, others have a company that handles the concept, production, and all that. But we wanted to try creating those things ourselves. From the very beginning of production, we participated in everything—not just the songs, but the concept, music video, jacket photos, and even the previews on our social media feeds. Participating in the production ourselves is the biggest difference; it allows us to really capture our own color.

allkpop. What’s your favorite song on the 1st MINI ALBUM [QtoresQ]?

JISUNG: I think [my favorite song] changes every day. Even during the preparation process, I loved the title track and the second track, “QtoresQ,” the most. But it’s different when I listen in the morning versus at night. It’s hard to choose. For me, it’s usually “UNCOOL” in the morning, “QtoresQ” or “Burnaway (into the fire)” in the evening, and “Rainbow shade” during the day. I listen to them based on the time of day.

KB: So the conclusion is, you don’t know?

JISUNG: No, they’re all good! Every song is good!

NINE: For me, my favorite song is “Rainbow Shade.”

allkpop: With so many groups, units, and soloists in K-pop, what do you believe sets QQQ apart from the rest?

NINE: I’m not sure about what sets us apart specifically, but we just try to work hard. We always want to come out with good songs—songs that we ourselves are satisfied with. We don’t really try to compare ourselves to other teams. We don’t think, “We have to bring out a better song than that team.” So, it’s hard to call it a “differentiation point,” but if we bring out music that satisfies us, that’s enough. As you said, so many K-pop groups release so many songs every day, and we are always in awe. Just recently, our seniors BTS gave an incredible performance at Gwanghwamun. Seeing that made us admire every single stage. Looking at them makes us think, “We need to work harder and bring out even better songs,” rather than, “We need to be like that.” So instead of a differentiation point, our goal is to enhance our own strengths and become a better group.

KB: There is one more differentiation point.

Members: What is it?

KB: The production process is not smooth.

Members: Hey, don’t say that!

(members laugh)

KB: No, because even though we gathered as a team with the same goal, we each have small differences in the colors we want to reflect. Aligning those parts is different from just following orders from the top down. We do it through meetings, so that process isn’t always smooth—but I think that’s actually an advantage.

JISUNG: To polish that a bit, if we look at it positively, we are doing this without a company right now, with the help of people around us. As KB said, the fact that we are the subjects and owners of everything is a great differentiator from the other teams. We prepared every single thing together, down to the smallest detail. Being able to deliver that message more clearly is our team’s unique strength. It comes with that much responsibility.

allkpop: Lastly, what are your short-term and long-term goals for the group, and do you have a final message for the readers?

JISUNG: For our short-term goal, like I said earlier, even though we are preparing this ourselves without a company, there are so many people around us helping out of the goodness of their hearts. I want to show them that their foresight wasn’t wrong. At the very least, I want to prove to those who helped us that “We have potential” and that we can grow even more.

KB: That’s right. Repaying those who helped us with such passion and love—as well as the fans—is our short-term goal. Our long-term goal is that when people search “QQQ,” our name comes up before “stock prices”!

(members laugh)

NINE: For me, whenever the topic of goals comes up, I always say this: my goal is to perform our songs in a really large concert hall. That’s a big goal. If I achieve that, I’ll have no regrets in this life. Once I achieve that, I’ll leave cleanly and peacefully.

JISUNG: The ultimate long-term goal for all of us is to make the name QQQ known far and wide, so that many people remember and love us. That's probably every team’s goal, but...

QQQ: That was a bit “cringey” just now. It felt a bit fake. (laughs)

JISUNG: I am completely sincere! It’s my personal personality.