Blacking up, leashing men and no-bra outfits – are Mamamoo K-pop’s most controversial girl group?
From their raunchy and raw fashion choices to wearing blackface to sing Bruno Mars, the girl group has attracted fans and detractors alike – let’s look back at the highs and lows as Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein and Hwasa celebrate the band’s 6th anniversary
Mamamoo is now entering its sixth year in the K-pop industry – six years which have seen the band embody the image of female empowerment and body positivity. The group comprises four outspoken and talented members – Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein and Hwasa. Founded by RBW Entertainment, the powerhouse quartet is known for dominating the charts both collectively and with solo releases.
But that’s not all they are known for. The girls’ success has also brought them death threats and hateful comments, a sad and sorry response to some of the controversial things they have done, and stunts they have pulled.
As the girl group celebrates their anniversary on June 19, we take a look back at some of the biggest controversies that the group had to overcome and dismiss.
“Blackface” controversy
At their sold out 2017 concert in Seoul, a parody video of the group was shown where the girls performed Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk in dark make-up. Following an understandable uproar, Mamamoo released an apology on social media, saying they were extremely ignorant of “blackface” and did not understand the implications of their doing it, only four hours after the video aired.
The “strawberry jam, come out” nickname
In a fan meeting, Wheein revealed that she saved Solar’s name as “strawberry jam, come out” in her phone, which came from a controversial song from Korean artist, Fatdoo. The song was so problematic that it was banned on all digital platforms in South Korea. Netizens were extremely shocked to hear Solar sing a part of the song and recommend it to fans, which sparked a heated debate on social media.
Anything Hwasa wears becomes controversial
Hwasa has always been a focus of criticism when it comes to her fashion. She received backlash for the sexy red bodysuit she wore to the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA), her 2019 Golden Disk Awards tight silver bodysuit, the durag homage to Rihanna during Queendom and her famous no-bra airport outfit.
In a press conference, Hwasa defended her no-bra outfit by saying she was only being natural and comfortable. The group also came to her defence, stating that they enjoy what they do confidently, as long as it’s not a crime.
Solar’s outfit in her Spit It Out teaser photo
For her Spit It Out solo comeback, Solar released teasers that received much criticism from netizens, such as the one of her being bald. The most controversial photos? Surely that transparent and colourful outfit, which made people think she was nude and was sexualising women in a childlike fashion. It was later on revealed that she was wearing skin-coloured shorts.
The group’s Queendom performance
Mamamoo competed in Mnet’s survival show Queendom, along with other girl groups. In one episode, the group performed their own rendition of AOA’s Good Luck which generated buzz on social media – especially Moonbyul’s part where she was leashing two male dancers as she rapped.
Of course, that didn’t go unnoticed, and most netizens saw it as prejudice against men and the double standard that exists in the music industry. Fewer fans, however, continued to praise the quartet’s female-empowering performance.