''Q is'' is the fourth

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

by the South Korean boy band

NU'EST NU'EST (; short for New Establish Style Tempo) was a South Korean boy band formed and managed by Pledis Entertainment. The group consisted of five members: JR, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren. They debuted on March 15, 2012, with the single t ...

. The album was released on February 17, 2016 and was distributed by LOEN Entertainment.

Background and release

''Q is'' is NU'EST's first Korean release in 1.5 years after the group put their Korean activities on hold to promote in Japan. The album was released on February 17, 2016 along with the music video for the title track, "Overcome." A dance version of the music video was released on February 22, 2016.

Composition

The concept of ''Q is'' focuses on a narrative about a queen and a knight who wants to protect her. During the album's comeback showcase, JR explained that the queen represents the group's fans, known as "Love." In addition, Baekho revealed that the first letter of each song spelled out the word "Love", while the second "s" in "One Kis2" was intentionally spelled with the number "2" to form a heart. The title track, "Overcome", is described as an addictive melody with lyrics describing the knight's desire to protect the girl he loves by singing a magic spell to make her forget about pain. Joshua Minsoo Kim from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' describes the song as beginning as a "sultry ballad" resembling "

Promise A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. As a noun ''promise'' means a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something. As a verb it means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give. It can also mean a capacity ...

" before abruptly shifting into a pre-chorus resembling " My Boo" and then a "dramatic chorus complete with post-dubstep wobbles", comparing the change of pace in the song to "an arduous journey to reassure their lover."

Reception

''Q is'' peaked at #5 on the

Gaon Music Chart The Circle Chart (), previously known as the Gaon Music Chart or the Gaon Chart (), tabulates the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in South Korea. It is produced by the Korea Music Content Association and sponsored by South Korea's ...

. Initially, the album only sold 8,988 copies upon release, but after NU'EST's appearance on '' Produce 101 Season 2'' in 2017, the album re-entered the charts and sold an additional 18,544 copies. ''Q is'' peaked at #11 on the US Billboard World Albums Chart. In Japan, it peaked at #1 on Tower Records' daily ranking.

Track listing

Charts

References

{{NU'EST NU'EST albums K-pop EPs 2016 EPs Korean-language EPs Hybe Corporation EPs