Hwasa wants you to love your body, too

“While doing what you love, you do end up becoming weaker, too,” says K-pop singer Hwasa over a video call from Seoul, via a translator. Since being introduced almost ten years ago, first as the youngest member (known as the ‘maknae’) of the harmony-forward girl group MAMAMOO and then later in 2019 as a soloist, 28-year-old Hwasa has rarely shied away from confronting the discourse that follows her celebrity, even when it stings. Her figure, her give-no-shits attitude, her sensuality, the way she approaches an industry that often places exorbitant expectations on its female stars; all of it has been ravenously picked apart. But her response has always been to bite back, whether in candid moments with fans, pointed performances on stage or – where she does it best – in song.

“I strongly believe that the act of loving yourself is an extremely important part in the process of getting through life,” she says, following the release of her latest solo single “I Love My Body”, an old-school retro-pop ode to self-love that’s as much a celebration of her own skin as it is a finger-point at her loudest critics. Its timing alone is a statement in itself: last month, she found herself reported to police in South Korea by a group of parents who thought her performance at a university festival was ‘indecent’. While a spotlight on the command she has over her sexuality has always followed closely, this time the bulb exploded. “Unsurprisingly, things have been pretty noisy recently, so I felt even more strongly that I needed to think positively and that I wanted to keep putting out music,” she says about the experience, choosing “I Love My Body” because, more than anything, it just made her feel happy.

For Hwasa, who debuted when she was just 18 years old, putting her self-confidence in the limelight is a no-brainer. But she’s conscious not to let people think that it’s easy. “The confident [persona of] me that you see on stage is something I work really hard on,” she says, touching on the very relatable peaks and troughs of self-acceptance that seem to change on a whim. “I go through times when I’m really sad,” she adds, saying that she tries to use those moments as a way to grow and learn so as never to allow insecurity to pull rank over her strength.

“I Love My Body” is a turning point for Hwasa, as it’s her first release since leaving her longtime agency RBW and signing with P Nation, the K-pop label founded by industry veteran Psy. While she’s released a handful of solo songs in the past and has been a go-to fave for features for years, this is her re-introduction as a fully-fledged solo artist. Below, we chat to Hwasa about self-love, new beginnings and tragically missing out on Beyoncé tickets.

What is the most important thing for you in terms of this next phase of your career?

Hwasa: I think it’s the trust I have in myself. With environments changing, as you keep moving forward, there are a lot of unfamiliar things you come across, you know?  So, in that kind of situation, I realized that to be unwavering and trusting in yourself is the most important [thing].

You just released your new song ‘I Love My Body’. What was it that drew you to that song?

Hwasa: Until very recently, I was feeling quite low, so I felt this urge to do a song that is fun, light and upbeat. I really feel like it was destiny discovering ‘I Love My Body’. I felt so sure about it, like  ‘Ah, if [I do] this song, I’ll be able to enjoy performing it’. 

You’ve always been so passionate about celebrating your body and it’s been a theme in past solo releases and the way you perform on stage. Why is it important to centre that in the work you do?

Hwasa: I strongly believe that the act of loving oneself is a huge part of getting through life, and so I tend to express these kinds of themes a lot. In reality, I am, and have been, a target [of the public] on issues like this, but, on the other hand, I am also harsh on myself regarding these topics, too. Going through all this, I feel like showing support [to fans] all the more. But, of course, I also love myself a lot, so having gone through all these different experiences, I think it’s something that comes out naturally.

What makes you feel most powerful in times when you don’t feel your best?

Hwasa: So these days, in particular, I have been noticing a lot of my weak points, things I’d like to improve on. But I think that having these thoughts comes from the strong desire of wanting to improve which I think, for me, comes from a positive mindset. I [always] practice hard. The people around me tell me really often, ‘For someone with your experience, one would assume you could practice without exerting yourself too much. But you really do work very hard.’ I realised that, with the amount of hard work I put in, when it’s time for fun, I’m able to enjoy [it].

What do you say to yourself in moments when self-love feels hard to come by?

Hwasa: Ah, [that’s] really difficult. The moments when you’re unable to love yourself – even this morning I felt like that – are always with you. When you feel like that, you just need to push through. There is no other way. Of course, if you’re having a hard time, it is OK to struggle. Just naturally doing the things that you can in that situation, I think it’s enough to just do that.

“I am not always that strong, you know. It’s just that, while doing what I love, I have become stronger” — Hwasa

To me, you feel very at the heart of conversations around female celebrities, the way you celebrate your body and your autonomy. How does it feel to be seen as a champion of that?

Hwasa: I am not always that strong, you know. It’s just that, while doing what I love, I have become stronger. What you see on stage comes from the experience of going through [all] those situations and feelings repeatedly, but, thankfully, seeing this [version of me], the fans feel empowered and feel some comfort through it. Whenever I hear things like that, I just feel so grateful. I also want to try living life showing my vulnerable side, but then I feel like I am betraying my fans – I felt like this recently, seeing myself become more vulnerable. I try to focus on my cho shim – a Korean phrase idols often use to convey that, no matter how famous they become, they will remain humble – and on reflecting constantly.

What can we expect from you in this new chapter?

Hwasa: I just want to make music until I’m sick of it. As a solo artist, I don’t have a lot of music released [yet], I want to continue sharing all the things that I want to talk about. And I want to do a lot of concerts, and through my performances, I want to meet my fans a lot more [often]. I think that’s the most important for me.

What song could you not stop listening to growing up?

Hwasa: Ah! Beyoncé’s ‘Broken-Hearted Girl’. I haven’t been able to see her in concert. I had originally planned to see her last concert but because of a conflict with my schedule, I couldn’t go.

What’s the last thing in your notes app?

Hwasa: Let me grab my phone. Oh! I’ve written down the address for the new house I’m going to move into soon, so I don’t think I can tell you. [Laughs].

What’s your most recent internet obsession?

Hwasa: There is something I’m really obsessed with recently, but I think it’s too heavy. These days I’m just really interested in various social issues and I’m watching and reading that kind of news a lot.

What’s your favourite convenience store snack?

Hwasa: It would be the tuna mayo samgak kimbap (a triangle-shaped rice snack wrapped in seaweed). I think the [main] reason for going to a convenience store would be for the kimbap. [Pauses]. Ah, I have one more! The coffee in convenience stores is really delicious. When my friends are like ‘Let’s grab a cup of coffee,’ I’m like, ‘Sounds great! There’s this coffee I really like, shall we [go] drink that?’ And we go to the convenience store, and my friends say jokingly, ‘You’re so rich and you’re buying us convenience store coffee?’ Convenience store coffee is the best!

If you could listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would it be?

Hwasa: I would rather choose death!

Additional translation provided by Neha Cariappa.