AHOF Nabs ‘Next Icon’ Award at 2025 K-Expo
Just months into their debut, rookie boy group AHOF is already cementing its name in the global K-pop scene. The nine-member group—Steven, Seo Jeongwoo, Cha Woonggi, Zhang Shuaibo, Park Han, JL, Park Juwon, Zeun, and Daisuke—was honored with the Global Netizen Award in the Next Icon category at the 7th Newspim Hallyu Expo (2025 K-Expo), held in Seoul’s Lotte Hotel Crystal Ballroom on the 28th.
“We’re Just Getting Started”: AHOF’s Grateful Speech
“We’re truly thankful to have received such a meaningful award at this stage of our journey,” AHOF said humbly. “We’re happy to spread the Hallyu wave through K-pop and we’ll keep working hard to represent Korean culture globally.”
Stage Kings in the Making
AHOF also performed at the ceremony, captivating the crowd with two tracks from their debut mini album WHO WE ARE: title track “Rendezvous” (Korean title: “그곳에서 다시 만나기로 해”) and the cheeky throwback number “Blue School, Green Grass, Red Sneakers”. Between powerful vocals and sharp choreography, their stage presence screamed veteran more than rookie.
Record-Breaking Debut
It’s not just fan chants and award speeches—AHOF is racking up numbers. Their debut album ranked 5th in first-week sales among all K-pop boy group debuts. “Rendezvous” also clinched three music show wins, a feat seasoned artists would envy.
Super Rookie Status Confirmed
The group added another trophy to their shelf on July 21 at the 2025 K-WORLD DREAM AWARDS, where they won the Super Rookie Award—a shiny badge that only a handful of idols earn in their debut year.
Off to Meet Their Global Fans
And AHOF isn’t slowing down. They’re jet-setting to the Philippines for their very first international fan event: AHOF 1ST PHILIPPINE FANCON RENDEZVOUS IN MANILA, set for July 30 at the Araneta Coliseum. The group left Korea on the morning of the 29th, likely to the sound of airport fan cheers and camera flashes.
With chart success, awards, and global stages already in their pocket, AHOF is proving that “rookie” is just a title—and theirs comes with an asterisk: next-gen K-pop powerhouse.
