Hwasa spreads her message of self love and empowerment in Toronto
The MAMAMOO singer recently made her Canadian debut during a show at Toronto's HISTORY
Since her debut, Hwasa has always marched to the beat of her own drum.
In an industry that favours youthful looks, slim bodies and fair-skinned complexion, the K-pop singer has often faced comments for not fitting those beauty standards as she is considered curvier and more tan than what a “typical idol” should look like.
In fact, Hwasa has long opened up about being told she is not enough during K-pop auditions in her youth, hearing that she was too “fat” or “not pretty enough”. And even years after her debut, Hwasa has often faced comments for wearing racier outfits and performing sexually suggestive dance moves.
Despite all this, Hwasa still persevered.
She continues to remain beloved figure in South Korea and beyond for sharing messages of empowerment and body positivity in songs like “Maria” and “I Love My Body.”
I can attest to her powerful aura, as I was one of many Canadian fans who attended the singer’s first-ever performance in Toronto at a sold out show at the venue History.
“Wow, I love you so damn much!” she said, greeting the crowd for the first time. “First of all, I’m in Toronto! I’m in Canada. What the f*ck?!”
It’s a stunning moment for Hwasa, who more than a decade since debuting, is selling out shows on her first solo world tour. But for Canadian Hwasa fans —whose fandom name is Twits—the wait was well worth it.
As a K-pop veteran, Hwasa never faltered throughout the show, jumping from one difficult piece of choreography to the next, not afraid to show off her sultry side by sharing the floor with her equally attractive male backup dancers.
Known for her powerful and husky alto tone, Hwasa also delivered live vocals for the majority of the concert, belting out anthems like “Twit” and “EGO”.
As is tradition at K-pop shows, the audience barked in approval every time Hwasa stopped to address the audience—something that the singer found humour in. “I don’t know what that means. You want to be my dog, right?”
Hwasa, who has often been described as “Mother” in K-pop-land for her powerful and commanding image, also showed her self-awareness of the nickname. She paid homage to the “mothers” in her own life, performing a medley of Madonna, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez songs in the middle of her set.
While Hwasa has long been considered a K-pop diva, what actually helped her connect most with her audience was her authenticity. The VCRs, which are usually highly produced pre-recorded videos that play in between sets, were instead wholesome vlog-style videos. They showed Hwasa exploring Toronto’s Kensington Market, dining at Ozzy’s burgers and buying Lay’s Ketchup chips. It’s nice to see her enjoying the city during her downtime!
There were also times during the concert as well that felt like therapy sessions, especially as Hwasa introduced her song “LMM”, a heartfelt ballad she wrote during a time she felt insecure about her future. She opened up about the pressures of fame, even if it at times comes with “malicious comments” towards her. But added that it only affects her to see her fans hurting more.
“If there’s one thing that makes me feel pain is I can’t see my fans being in pain,” she said. “I’m really grateful that the fans protect me, but I want to be your shade.”
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
As someone who has attended multiple K-pop shows at this point, I can honestly say that this was one of the more refreshing shows I’ve ever attended. While Hwasa is clearly a star, her demeanor on stage felt more like a sister and a friend. She imparted knowledge and spoke to the audience casually by making jokes. And when she wasn’t talking, she gave her everything on stage. It all felt very grounded. The only thing I wish I saw more of were more MAMAMOO songs! Hwasa doesn’t have a vast solo discography, so I would have loved to see more of the classics and fewer covers.
Overall, I left the show feeling healed, knowing her comforting words during the introduction of “LMM” resonated with many in the audience. But even as things got serious, Hwasa always closed with her trademark silliness and humour—telling people not to worry about the haters like her over the years.
“Whenever you see someone strange, just tell them this,” she said. “God bless you.”
Amen sister.
Get in touch by emailing bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Or, follow me on Instagram, TikTok and Threads.