Chih En Sat Out AHOF’s Second Era for His Health, Then Returned After Three Months of Actual Rest
The tea in one cup
Chih En suspended activities in September 2025 for health reasons. AHOF continued as eight members through the The Passage comeback while he focused on treatment and rest.
At the November 4 showcase, Jeongwoo said Chih En could not participate and was concentrating on recovery. He also made clear that Chih En had stayed emotionally involved, sending encouragement and feedback while the eight prepared the album.
The part companies often get wrong
“Health hiatus” can become corporate fog. No diagnosis is owed to the public, but fans do deserve accurate status. F&F eventually provided the useful details: he had received treatment, taken a sufficient period of rest, recovered enough for daily life and activities, wanted to return, and had medical support for that decision.
That is a better update than forcing a nineteen-year-old to smile through schedules until a fancam becomes a medical record.
Why the comeback mattered
AHOF’s branding literally depends on nine. The name echoes the Korean word for nine. The group logo, formations, and origin story repeat the number. Eight-member promotions therefore made the absence visible even when nobody spoke about it.
His planned return at the 2026 fan concert gave the lineup a clear reunion point rather than leaving fans trapped in “temporary” language forever.
RaeRae take
Rest worked. Imagine that. I am glad the company waited for Chih En, included a medical opinion, and did not turn basic recovery into a dramatic countdown teaser.