AHOF have done something no project group has managed before — all nine members have signed a seven-year contract extension with F&F Entertainment, effectively converting a survival show act into a long-term group with its entire lineup intact. Kep1er set the precedent for contract extensions, but AHOF is the first to do it without losing a single member in the process.

As of March 24, F&F Entertainment confirmed all nine members of AHOF have signed on to continue promoting as a group for seven years. In K-pop terms, that means AHOF will experience the standard “long-term” contract that most traditional groups are already accustomed to — something that’s unheard of in the world of in the world of survival show-formed acts. While girl group Kep1er set the precedent for contract extensions, AHOF is the first project group to do so with its entire line-up intact.

Formed through the reality show Universe League and debuting in 2025 with their EP, Who We Are, AHOF quickly garnered success and earned the title of “monster rookies.” In its first week, the EP sold 369,850 copies in its first week, marking the highest first-week sales for a debut boy group in 2025, and ranked fifth overall among all boy group debut-week sales in South Korea. And only 10 days after their debut, the group achieved a triple crown on music shows, sparking renewed discourse on the sustainability of idol audition programs so long as fans continue engaging and supporting their trainees.

With AHOF’s uphill trajectory and continual increase in popularity, the contract extension only reaffirms the group’s indispensable place in F&F Entertainment. If a project group is performing incredibly well and showcases true staying power within the industry, it only makes sense to keep them around long-term. Either way, it’s a win for both parties, who will certainly benefit from having more time to grow and evolve the way a normal K-pop group would.

As expected, the news of AHOF’s renewal was met with overwhelming excitement and anticipation from its loyal fanbase, proving that even pre-determined outcomes can change for the better. In addition to the group’s existing fans being able to watch and support the members for much longer than anticipated, many have also pointed out that the extended contract is now more newcomer-friendly, with potential incoming fans more inclined to support AHOF because they’ll be around for a longer period of time.

It’s also a stark contrast to ZEROBASEONE’s situation, where only five members would continue under the name. At the same time, the remaining four were forced to depart due to a pre-existing agreement with YH Entertainment. Even with ZB1’s powerhouse name and status within the K-pop sphere, they were yet another group that could not escape the inevitable.

AHOF will now serve as a live test case for what the project group model could look like if labels were willing to be flexible. If it works — and the early indicators suggest it will — other companies may start treating survival group contracts as a starting point rather than a fixed outcome. That would be a meaningful shift. For now, AHOF are the ones carrying that weight, and based on everything so far, they seem more than capable of it.