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AHOF
South Korean boy band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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AHOF (Korean: 아홉; RR: Ahop; lit. 'Nine') is a South Korean boy band formed through SBS TV's reality competition show Universe League. Managed by F&F Entertainment, the group consists of nine members: Steven, Jeongwoo, Woongki, Shuaibo, Han, JL, Juwon, Chih En, and Daisuke. They debuted on July 1, 2025, with the extended play Who We Are.
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Name
The group's name, 'AHOF'—short for All-time Hall Of Famer—was conceived by F&F Entertainment to reflect the agency's intent of establishing the group as lasting and influential figures in the K-pop industry, evoking the idea of a "hall of fame".[1] In Korean, the pronunciation of AHOF is similar to the word for the number 9, referencing the group's nine members and implying an ongoing journey rather than a finished state, in line with their emphasis on continued growth.[2][3]
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History
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Formation through Universe League and other activities
AHOF is a nine-member K-pop group formed through SBS's reality competition show Universe League, which aired from November 22, 2024 to January 24, 2025.[4][1] The show featured 42 contestants from South Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines, who competed for a spot in a multinational boy group. On January 24, the final lineup was announced: seven members from the winning team, Team Rhythm, and one top-voted contestant from each of the two losing teams, based on global voting.[1][5]
Before appearing on the program, several AHOF members had prior experience in the entertainment industry. In 2019, Steven participated in Mnet's Produce X 101 under his full name as a DS Entertainment trainee and was eliminated in 72nd place.[6] He later debuted in 2021 as a member of Luminous,[7] which officially disbanded on February 9, 2025.[8] That same year, Cha Woong-ki competed in To Be World Klass,[9] where he ranked third and debuted in April 2020 as a member of TOO, which rebranded as TO1 in March 2021.[10][11] He departed from TO1 in June 2022.[12] Zhang Shuaibo participated in iQIYI's Youth With You 3 in 2021 and was eliminated in the first round, ranking between 63rd and 118th place.[13][14] In 2023, Cha Woong-ki and Zhang Shuaibo took part in Mnet's Boys Planet, where they were eliminated in episode 11, ranking 20th and 28th, respectively.[15][16] In March 2023, JL made his debut as a member of the Philippine boy group Pluus.[17]
2025–present: Debut with Who We Are
Following the group's formation on January 24, F&F Entertainment announced that AHOF members would take a short break before beginning preparations for their official debut, initially scheduled for the first half of 2025.[18] The agency later confirmed that the group would debut on July 1 with their first EP, Who We Are, which features six tracks produced by Universe League mentor El Capitxn.[19][20] The title track, "Rendezvous", is a pop rock song with guitar and drum instrumentation and a dreamlike arrangement.[21][22] Lyrically, it conveys themes of anxiety, nostalgia, and emotional longing tied to the pursuit of a dream,[22][23] with member Cha Woong-ki credited as one of the lyricists.[20] AHOF held a showcase at the YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, Seoul to commemorate their debut and the EP's release.[24]
Who We Are sold 369,850 copies in its first week, marking the highest first-week sales for a debut boy group in 2025. It also ranked fifth overall among all boy group debut-week sales in South Korea.[25] Meanwhile, "Rendezvous" earned AHOF their first music show trophy on July 8 through SBS funE's The Show, followed by additional wins on MBC M's Show Champion on July 9 and KBS2's Music Bank on July 12, completing a "triple crown" within 10 days of their debut, marking a significant early milestone in the group's career.[26][27] These achievements led media outlets to describe them as "monster rookies." Their debut also prompted renewed discourse on the viability of idol audition programs, suggesting that such formats may remain effective when supported by strong fan engagement.[3]
Ahead of their debut album release, AHOF made their first public stage appearance as a full group at the 2025 MyK Festa on June 19.[28][29] They performed newly arranged versions of three songs from Universe League: "Ignition", "Butterfly", and "Mamma Mia". The setlist was selected through a global fan poll asking which songs audiences most wanted to hear from AHOF.[29] On June 25, the group was also announced as part of the lineup for the 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer Festival, scheduled for July 26. Their participation was confirmed before their official debut, an inclusion considered unusual given that the event typically invites K-pop artists who already debuted.[30]
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Artistry
AHOF has described their artistic direction as focused on continuous growth and experimentation, identifying BTS as a key influence for their versatility in musical styles and concepts. The group has expressed a long-term goal of achieving recognition within K-pop's legacy, aspiring to be among the acts associated with a conceptual "hall of fame".[2][22][31]
Members
- Steven (스티븐)
- Seo Jeong-woo (서정우)
- Cha Woong-ki (차웅기)
- Zhang Shuaibo (장슈아이보)
- Park Han (박한)
- JL (제이엘)
- Park Ju-won (박주원)
- Chih En (즈언)
- Daisuke (다이스케)
Discography
Extended plays
Singles
Other charted songs
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Videography
Music videos
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Filmography
Reality shows
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References
External links
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