ARMYs, BLINKs, MOAs, iKONICs and STAYs. In the world of K-pop, whenever a soloist or idol group makes their debut, an official fandom name soon follows. In some cases, the idols themselves choose the name, as they know their fans best and want to strengthen that bond even further.
K-pop boy group AHOF (아홉) made their debut earlier this year with their mini album “Who We Are”, which reached No. 1 on iTunes’ Top Albums chart in seven countries, including Malaysia. After more than two months of waiting, the group have finally announced their official fandom name. However, it’s not quite what fans were hoping for. Here’s what happened:
Over the weekend, AHOF hosted a livestream to reveal the official name of their fan club. As shown in the image above, the boy band’s fans are now called FOHA, a creative reversal of the group’s name. “We’ve always called you ‘everyone’, but now we finally have a name to call you by. We’re so happy,” the members said excitedly during the broadcast.
They went on to explain that the fandom name also carries the meaning of “FOR”, symbolising a mutual bond between AHOF and their fans, with each existing for the other. AHOF later shared a group photo featuring the fandom name on their social media platforms, sparking a wave of mixed reactions. While some found the idea of reversing the group’s name to be a cute way of addressing fans, it didn’t sit well with many others.
Many urged the group and their agency, F&F Entertainment, to reconsider the name, as it carries negative meanings in certain languages: “semen/shit” in Brazilian Portuguese, and “Poa” (ポア) or “death”, a term associated with the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo. Some also pointed out that FOHA is the abbreviation for Friends of Homeless Animals, an animal shelter in Virginia, United States.
Others expressed disappointment that the fandom name has caused division among fans, when it was meant to unite them. It is disheartening to see that many would rather remain nameless than adopt the official fandom title. Hopefully, the group and their label will reconsider and choose something that better represents both AHOF and their fans.
What do you think of the fandom name?
