On September 17, 2024, Hwasa of MAMAMOO made an appearance on Jonathan’s popular YouTube show, The K-Star Next Door. She is currently on her promotional schedule for her highly anticipated 2nd Mini Album, titled [O], which is set to be released on September 19, 2024.
During her interview with Jonathan, she opened up about her trainee days, including an incident where she openly rebelled against her agency’s CEO.
Hwasa debuted as a member of the renowned four-member girl group MAMAMOO in 2014 under Rainbow Bridge World. During her trainee period, she weighed approximately 60 kg and was pressured by the CEO to reduce her weight to 48 kg.
Despite her efforts, Hwasa struggled to meet the weight requirement to debut as an idol, prompting the CEO to threaten her with contract termination.
In a bold move, the Maria singer composed a song titled My Heart, which she sent to the CEO. She explained that she channeled all her frustrations into the song and used it as a way to confront her boss.
“I weighed 60kg when I was a trainee. My boss told me to lose weight down to 48kg. I did my best and reduced it down to 49kg. Yet he still wanted to fire me. So I got upset at my boss. After a bout with him, I wrote a song about my feelings. The title was, ‘My Heart.’ What my boss expected to see was an apology. He actually liked me more after that.”
Discover More About Hwasa, MAMAMOO’s Youngest Member, and Her Body Positivity Advocacy
Hwasa stands out as one of the few K-pop idols who challenges conventional Korean beauty standards. She has faced ridicule and cyberbullying online for not conforming to societal beauty ideals in the K-pop industry.
On September 1, 2023, Hwasa terminated her solo contract with Rainbow Bridge World and joined PSY’s label, P NATION.
Recently, the MAMAMOO singer released her second solo single, I Love My Body, on September 6, 2023, under P NATION, where she tackled the important topic of body positivity. According to Forbes, Hwasa recounted enduring numerous mental breakdowns over a decade due to persistent criticism regarding her appearance.
She emphasized that I Love My Body serves as a message to her younger self and an encouragement for other women who struggle with body image insecurities.
Prior to this, she released her debut solo EP, Maria, in 2020, which delved into the darker aspects of unrequited love and the challenges of fame.
Moreover, MAMAMOO has garnered global recognition for their songwriting that addresses societal norms and unrealistic beauty standards. They launched their album Reality in Black in November 2019, featuring the track HIPI, which promoted the message of self-acceptance and not pursuing an unattainable body image.
MAMAMOO comprises Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa. While Solar and Moonbyul remain with Rainbow Bridge World, Wheein ended her solo contract in June 2023, followed by Hwasa in September 2023.
Nevertheless, the four members have renewed their group contract with Rainbow Bridge World and continue to promote and create music together as MAMAMOO.
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