They also promised to showcase something that many Filipinos know during the concert.
Rookie K-pop group AHOF is in Manila this weekend for a couple of engagements in the country, which are notably their first few since making their debut last July 1, 2025.
The work had immediately started for them the moment they arrived in the country on Friday, as they headed straight to a hotel in Pasay City to face the local press and influencers at the media conference for their ‘Rendezvous’ fan-con, which happens the following day, Saturday, August 30.
During the said event, the nine members of the band, who are Steven, Seo Jeongwoo, Cha Woongki, Park Han, Zhang Shuaibo, Park Juwon, JL, Chih En, and Daisuke, got a taste of the warm reception from the Filipinos.
This, as the group introduced themselves individually to a room that erupted in cheers as they played with their poses for the cameras, with members JL and Jeongwoo even jokingly doing the viral pose of Filipino actor Alden Richards.
After their introduction segment for the Filipino media, the team proceeded with the main part of the program, which was the question-and-answer portion where they gave insights about their music and conveyed gratitude to their fans for the support for their two-month-old idol group.
One of their major milestones so far was their triple-crown on Korean music countdown shows within 10 days of their debut.
Shuaibo shared, as translated onsite, “At first, we couldn’t believe that we won and asked amongst ourselves, ‘is this a dream?’,” referring to that feat that is considered legendary for rookie teams.
Woongki also told that their debut album, ‘Who We Are,’ was not just about them showing their personality as a team, but also deliver the message of being charismatic despite lacking in some aspects.
Han added to his co-members point, sharing that they want to also “show every color” that they want to share to their fans. He also noted that their album bring predominantly in Korean is an indication of the image that they want to project.
Juwon then called the album’s genre as their own band’s name, AHOF, as they gave all their effort and energy in making it happen.
Meanwhile, there being a Filipino member in JL, they were also asked about what they have already learned about the language, food, and culture.
Jeongwoo revealed that he knew about “mahal kita,” “maraming salamat,” pancit canton, and the aforementioned Alden Richards pose.
As for Daisuke, he had learned so much from JL that he had used the word “po” (a Filipino term of respect towards others, especially the elderly) even when he is conversing in Japanese and Korean.
In terms of their music, JL looks forward to exploring genres and concepts with the group. He also added, that he personally grew up listening to 2NE1, Sarah Geronimo, and The Beatles.
Juwon also mentioned Blackpink’s Jennie as his inspiration, noting her ability to “fill-up the stage” even when she is performing alone.
Steven then redefined the meaning of the band’s name AHOF, which stands for the number nine in Korean and an acronym for All-time Hall of Famer, and equated it to “synergy.”
“Because we come together and even though all our members have different colors, different styles [in music], and different strengths. But when we come together, we create something really strong that we can’t achieve alone,” he said.
The rookie K-pop star also looked back on their days as trainees in the survival show ‘Universe League’ and said that the most-challenging part was the “consistent pressure to do better in any stage,” which helped them manage stress and perform in spite of the pressure.
SATURDAY MAIN EVENT
August 30 will not just be any other day for them and their Filipino fans, as for the first time since their official debut, they are holding their fan-con at none other than The Big Dome, Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Steven expressed his excitement for the show, adding that he is also seeking to experience the high energy of the Filipino crowd.
“I was very excited because from [what I’ve heard] from JL and my friends that have been to the Philippines, the fans are just very high energy and welcoming.”
JL also tracked his previous promise to fans to bring along the rest of AHOF to the country and admitted that their successive engagements in the Philippines feels like a “dream come true” for him.
“Kaya, we’re very very happy and more passionate na gawin ‘yung mga activities namin dito sa Philippines,” he added.
During the conference, they also heard for the first time that the tickets to the concert were declared sold-out within 30 minutes.
Woongki then reflected on his initial thoughts about holding the fan-con at The Big Dome, and told, “When JL told me that we’re gonna perform at a really huge stadium… he showed me how big it is. [I then thought] like, ‘could we do it?’ I was really in shock to know it was sold-out.“
He also added that the band is excited to perform at JL’s hometown and with their Filipino fans, no less.
Meanwhile, the day after the big show, the nine members will be holding a fansign event at Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig on Sunday, August 31.
FUTURE COLLABORATIONS
As for collaborations with other artists, Juwon admitted that the whole of AHOF is dreaming to do it someday. But for now, he feels that that the group still needs to practice more and do better, underlining that it is still not the “right timing” to do collabs at the moment.
Woongki then playfully disagreed with that sentiment and expressed their willingness to work with other personalities and even gave a shoutout to them.
“We are so open [to collaborate]! DM us, Ariana (Grande), Taylor (Swift),” and all the other popstars out there.
At the said media conference, the group also performed for the first time in the Philippines their hit debut single, ‘Rendezvous,’ which has already amassed more than 29 million views on YouTube and is the most-watched rookie boy group music video of 2025, as of writing.
They also delivered a special stage of their second single, ‘The Universe’ afterwards.
AHOF is the first boy group from the Korean management company F&F Entertainment, which is also home to the girl group UNIS.