South Korean singer Hwasa rounded off her North American tour with four sold-out shows, including the Brooklyn Paramount with over 2,000 in attendance.
Ahn Hye-jin, famously known as Hwasa in the sensational K-Pop group Mamamoo, took over the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre on March 27 with a spicy performance. With a capacity of 2,700, the venue was jam-packed with fans—affectionately known as TWITs—many of them donning outfits inspired by Hwasa’s music videos and infamous performances.
Hwasa shared with fans that she has been reflecting on her childhood, especially her father. A farmer and doting provider, she distinctly recalled a lesson he taught her, which was to share with others.
“All the rice and vegetables that he farmed he shared with our neighbors and family members. As a child, I didn’t know any better; I’d ask him why are we giving it away…he would tell me: even if all I have is one thing, if we share it together, it tastes even better,” Hwasa said. “That’s something that I’ve always held close to my heart, but while doing this tour, I kept thinking about what he said. Everything I poured into making the stage possible, all the countless practices, the skills I’ve been building, I feel like I’ve been farming and I’m finally see the flowers bloom and so I feel like I’m sharing the fruits with you all.”
Beneath the neon lights, Hwasa’s sequence leotard sparkled as she sang “Chili,” “TWIT,” and “HWASA” and danced to covers of Beyonce’s “Diva,” Madonna’s “Hung Up,” Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud” and Britney Spears’s “Toxic.” It was her high energy and ability to command the stage that ignited an outpouring of love and screams from her fans.
Known for her upbeat music, advocacy for female empowerment, and body positivity, fans lauded Hwasa for her ability to make everyone in attendance feel comfortable about being themselves.
Ahead of her song “I love my body,” Hwasa turned to the crowd and shared that she wants to lead a life that is purely happy and filled with gratitude.
“I just want to really love everything and feel a great gratitude. I aways want to give back to that feeling of gratitude,” Hwasa said, pointing out every part of herself she loves and her fans. “So superficially, I say I love my body physically, but the song is actually about me saying I love to the end of this earth, and I hope that this good energy goes completely to [my fans.] I love my TWITs.”
East Village resident Rebecca Fisch, 27, and her friend Courtney Mok, 26, wore matching pink halter tops with elbow-length gloves, mirroring one of Hwasa’s infamous outfits. They were all smiles as they gushed about their favorite singer.
“I think she is not afraid to go places that a lot of typical K-Pop bands would go. She talks a lot about her body, a lot about feminism as a whole and I feel like that is something I really resonate with. I really like her message,” Fisch told amNewYork.
Brooklynite Mok, 26, was surprised by Hwasa’s humor and stage presence, even toward the end of a month-long tour the singer’s energy was still at an all-time high.
“She is very body-positive, which is very progressive in a way that is not common in Korean artists. She is outward courageous when it comes to sensitive topics,” Brooklyn local Mok added.
The heat Hwasa brought as she twirled her hips, had many in attendance throwing their arms in the air, screaming her name.
“You guys continue to surprise me. You really encourage me to do my all each time,” Hwasa said.
