MAMAMOO's Hwasa has opened up about her emotional struggles after last year's "indecency" incident, for which she received criticism for her sexy performance at a university festival.
Speaking candidly on the July 13 episode of KBS2's "Crazy Rich Koreans," Hwasa detailed how the incident affected her mental well-being and family dynamics.
Hwasa causes a stir on community sites with performance at the SKK University festivalhttps://t.co/qAfDfskupN pic.twitter.com/gE0kueczmf
— pannchoa (@pannchoa) May 15, 2023
The issue came to a head when Hwasa was reported to the authorities, resulting in fierce online debate.
Amidst the backlash, Hwasa received a poignant message from her mother. "When the criticism hit its peak, I got a text from my mom for the first time," Hwasa recalled. "She asked, 'Is my daughter okay?' That message... 'Are you okay?' ...it felt like my heart was being torn apart."
Hwasa explained that her parents had often struggled to understand her artistic choices.
Reflecting on her conversation with her mother, Hwasa shared, "I told my mom, 'You didn't understand me when I was younger, so how could anyone else?' And then she said, 'I'm proud of my daughter.' That really hit me."
The singer also recounted experiencing severe anxiety symptoms, including a distressing episode at an airport in Türkiye.
"I suddenly felt really unstable...my unnies (older staff members) all hugged me at the same time.
I just burst into tears right then," she said, expressing gratitude for their support. "I'm so grateful for that."
Hwasa commented that she doesn't think such feelings are particularly a panic disorder, but sometimes she has a lot of worries without reason.
"But lately, it's not happening so often. And when it does, it eases up a bit if someone hugs me. The unnies realize that now, so they hurry over."
Hwasa has been candid about her mental health battles and family support, revealing the personal hardship from which showbiz celebrities suffer in silence.
Originally published on Kdrama Stars
