AHOF Embarks on a 'Passage' of Growth Inspired by 'Pinocchio'

Get ready as the group AHOF is set to release their second mini-album, 'The Passage', tomorrow, November 4th, at 6 PM KST across various online music platforms.

This release marks their comeback approximately four months after their first mini-album, 'WHO WE ARE', which dropped in July. 'The Passage' features a total of five tracks, including the title song, 'Pinocchio Hates Lies'.

Across the album, from mood films to music videos, the overarching theme of 'growth' is evident as AHOF completes their comeback preparations. Here are three reasons why their new album, 'The Passage', is highly anticipated:

◆ From Boy to Adult: AHOF's Unique Youth Fairytale

In their debut album, 'WHO WE ARE', AHOF depicted 'incomplete youth' full of potential amidst imperfection. The new album, 'The Passage', serves as an extension, capturing the journey from boyhood to adulthood and showcasing an expanded narrative of youth unique to AHOF.

The members explore the pains of growing up at the threshold of boyhood and adulthood. Listeners can witness a 'rough youth' who becomes stronger by confronting moments of anxiety, confusion, and wavering, ultimately finding their true selves.

The organically connected tracklist adds persuasiveness to AHOF's story. Notably, the intro track 'AHOF, The Beginning of a Shining Number' is an expanded version of the outro track from their previous album, symbolizing the continuous unfolding of AHOF's narrative.

Additionally, the album includes tracks like 'Run at 1.5x Speed', which captures the breathless energy of youth; 'Pinocchio Hates Lies', expressing a desire to be honest only with 'you' amidst uncertainty; 'Never Lose You Again', a promise to stay together until the end; and 'Sleeping Diary (Outro)', which foreshadows future stories. This meticulously crafted sequence of songs delicately portrays the complex emotions of youth, making 'The Passage' feel like reading a unique youth fairytale.

◆ Breaking the Mold with New Attempts: A Fairytale Motif

'The Passage' draws inspiration from the fairytale 'Pinocchio'. AHOF projects themselves onto Pinocchio's transformation from a wooden puppet to a real boy, narrating their growth process from youth to adulthood. Elements reminiscent of 'Pinocchio' are woven throughout the album, completing their unique growth story.

The concept photos visually represent the 'Pinocchio' narrative in a structured format. The carpentry workshop backdrop signifies Pinocchio's birth, a dark lakeside represents moments of wandering amidst lies and temptations, and a green field symbolizes freedom found after overcoming hardships and discovering one's true self.

The music video and performances also feature numerous points alluding to the 'Pinocchio' story. The choreography for the title track 'Pinocchio Hates Lies' incorporates a 'nose' gesture as a key point, and the music video intertwines the 'lying makes your nose grow' concept with the Tower of Babel myth to deeply convey themes of authenticity and growth.

◆ Consistent Songwriting Participation: Proof of Musical Growth

AHOF's increased involvement in songwriting compared to their previous work is noteworthy. While Cha Woong-gi solely participated in the lyrics for the title track of 'WHO WE ARE', this album features Steven, Cha Woong-gi, and Park Han contributing to the lyrics, further proving their enhanced musical capabilities.

Steven is prominently credited for the lyrics of the first track, 'AHOF, The Beginning of a Shining Number'. For the fan song 'Never Lose You Again', Steven, Cha Woong-gi, and Park Han poured their sincere feelings for their fan club, FOHA, into the lyrics.

With 'The Passage', AHOF aims to reaffirm their status as a 'monster rookie' by showcasing not only visual and performance growth but also musical completeness.

Netizens are reacting positively, with comments like 'Finally, a comeback!', 'The concept for this album looks amazing', 'The Pinocchio motif is so fresh!', and 'With members participating in lyrics, this album feels even more meaningful.'