Song Review:: AHOF: WHO WE ARE- 그곳에서 다시 만나기로 해 (Rendezvous)

• Release date: 2025 July 1

• Album tracklist: The Little Star, The Universe, Rendezvous, Incompleted, Cosmic Underdog, AHOF

• Album runtime: 17 minutes

 I'm sorry, everyone. I've been fully distracted by K-Pop Demon Hunters. If my Threads is any indication, I'm hardly the only one. I'm actually building a whole playlist of similar groups and songs so that I can introduce the newcomers to lots of K-Pop, and I kind of feel like my time has come, in my somewhat humble opinion, because I get to launch my enthusiasm and love for the music at them. But, enough about that. AHOF is actually a group I've been looking forward to their debut for the sole reason of a single member (because I didn't watch their survival show). My man Woongki is getting another shot, another chance, another group. Love this kid. He's had a rough go of it, and he just won't give up and I'm 3000% here to support him. It's just going to have to wait with this one because the maknae is fifteen, which unfortunately means Underage Protocol. 

This song reminds me a lot of 2014 third gen groups. There's a sentiment to it that prevents it from being quite as bright and sugary as the 2015-2016 groups and releases, but it's not quite as darkly intense as earlier debuted groups, nor is it as kind-of-weird as 2013 releases. The instrumental is solid and layered, with good shifts between the different sections to provide a lot of good variations and contrasts. Everything from rock to a capella is on display. We also get some soft solo piano before it strengthens back up with the drums. Like, I don't know about y'all, but even though this song isn't a full blast or a wall of sound, which it could easily have been with a couple of minor shifts in a couple of different points. I'm also really satisfied by how soft this song remains. and by how well it works as both a title track and a debut song, because of the amount of varying textures the instrumentals provide. 

I'm so down with their voices, y'all. I'm so upset about the maknae being fifteen. If he wasn't, this would be on repeat, or would be if a certain soundtrack hadn't absolutely taken me out. As much as I like the  instrumentals, and I really do, their voices have such a strong degree of variation in the textures of their voices that it's a fantastic move at debut. The rapping is strong. The vocals are solid. I'm genuinely pleased and satisfied by this debut. The only actual issue I have is that the maknae is too young. 

Cinematographically, this is a gorgeous music video. It hits a lot of really good points, and I really like the flow of it. There's an excellent play between light and dark, and it really is very pretty. The choreography is well highlighted. Like, genuinely, this is nice. I don't think it holds up as well compared to the music, although I do only limit myself to two viewings when in Underage Protocol, so it's possible that it's just something that would have been resolved if I'd been able to look at it a few more times. But! There is potential. So maybe the next movie video I'll be enthralled with. Does not change how much I love this song though.