AO EXCLUSIVE: AHOF talks about their UL journey, debut album, and thoughts on their PH activities

Before meeting their Filipino fans at their first fan-concert in the Philippines, “RENDEZVOUS” in Manila, rookie K-pop boy group AHOF held a media conference last August 29, 2025.

Before debuting as AHOF, the group, consisting of Steven, Seo Jeongwoo, Cha Woongki, Zhang Shuaibo, Park Han, Park Juwon, Chih En, Daisuke, and Filipino member JL, participated in the survival show “Universe League.” With this, fans have been highly anticipating their first event in the Philippines.

Coming from a survival show, AHOF’s journey did not come without hardships. Jeongwoo said that it was mentally taxing, and Steven shared that the most challenging part of the experience was the “consistent pressure to do well in every stage.” However, he said that it helped them learn “how to manage stress and do well under pressure.”

AHOF’s debut album “Who We Are,” reflects the unique color of each member that they want to show everyone, said Park Han. JL shared that every song from the album is connected to each other. He expressed that every track represents who AHOF is because it contains their story, tackling what they’ve been through and where they are now. “It showcases who AHOF truly is,” Woongki said.

Shortly after their debut, AHOF already received music show wins, which Shuaibo said felt like a dream. Daisuke acknowledged that it’s not easy to get awards in Korea, thus, their achievements drive them to keep on improving and do better.

When asked about the group’s concept or music style, Juwon said that their genre is just being “them as AHOF.” JL shared that AHOF is currently in the “exploring stage,” so they are open to trying out every genre or concept in the future.

With regards to their back-to-back events in the Philippines consisting of the media conference, fan-concert, and fan signing, JL said it’s like a dream come true because he has always wanted to come to the Philippines with AHOF. He shared that it hasn’t been long since they debuted, but they’ve already received huge support and love, so they’re very happy and more passionate to do their activities in the country.

Upon learning that they were going to perform in the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Woongki wondered if they could really perform in such a big venue. Still, he was excited to perform in JL’s hometown and in front of Filipino fans. When the tickets for AHOF’s fan-concert sold out within 30 minutes, JL shared the news with Woongki and said that he couldn’t believe it.

Sharing some teasers for their fan-concert, Chih En spoiled that they were going to perform AHOF’s version of “We Ready,” the signal song for their survival show. JL said he was eager to perform their B-side tracks, and that they have prepared many exciting performances which can only be seen during the fan-concert.

Except for JL and Steven, who have visited Cebu before, all members said it’s their first time coming to the Philippines. Steven said he’s really excited because he heard from JL and other friends who’ve been to the Philippines that the fans have high energy and are very warm-welcoming, so he’s really looking forward to their fan-concert.

Jeongwoo shared that he learned a few Filipino phrases like “Mahal kita,” “Maraming salamat po,” and “Pancit canton,” from JL. He also said that JL taught him ending fairy poses based on Filipino memes. Daisuke mentioned that he learned “po” as a word of respect, making everyone laugh with his “konnichiwa po,” as he said he mixes languages. Woongki said he tried the Philippines’ mango, and that it was very sweet and delicious.

When the members were asked if they knew of any Filipino artists, Steven named Gloc-9 as one of the popular rappers in the Philippines. Steven shared that when he was starting rap, he discovered a lot of rappers, and Gloc-9 was one of them.

Meanwhile, JL mentioned that some of his music inspirations were Sarah Geronimo and 2NE1. He also shared how he grew up listening to The Beatles, that his grandfather often plays. Juwon said that his role model was Jennie of BLACKPINK.

Ultimately, Steven said that “synergy” can be used as the one word to describe AHOF’s chemistry. He expressed that when AHOF comes together, they create something really strong that they can’t achieve alone even though all their members have different colors, styles, and strengths. Shuaibo added that he thought of the word “shining,” because all nine members truly shine when they perform as a group.

To wrap up the conference in a special way, AHOF performed “Rendezvous” and “The Universe” live. “Thank you so much for tonight,” Steven said. JL thanked the press for their time and effort to come to AHOF’s media conference. He shared that they had many doubts and worries since it’s their first time, but because of the warm welcome, all of it was gone. “Sa susunod po, magkita-kita po ulit tayo. Salamat po!” he said.

Special thanks to SBTown for making this event possible.