Courtesy of P NATION
Hwasa, a prominent member of the K-pop sensation MAMAMOO, finds herself at the center of a police investigation following allegations of staging an explicit performance during a school festival in May.
The Seoul Seongdong Police Station revealed on Sunday that they had recently summoned Hwasa for questioning, seeking to understand her intentions behind a performance that stirred controversy at Sungkyunkwan University. During the event, Hwasa engaged in actions deemed suggestive, including licking her fingers and making suggestive movements near her groin. The police are now deliberating whether to refer her case to the prosecution for further action.
The contentious performance occurred on May 12th when Hwasa collaborated with rapper Loco to perform the song "Don't" (2018) at the university festival in northern Seoul. This performance was part of the filming for tvN's variety show "Dancing Queens on the Road" (2023), featuring five prominent K-pop divas, including Hwasa, in a series of nationwide concerts.
If found guilty, the 28-year-old singer could potentially face a maximum sentence of one year in jail or a fine of up to 5 million won ($3,800).
The investigation was initiated following a complaint from the Student Parent's Rights Protection Union, a civic group that asserted Hwasa's actions during the performance were "indecent" and evoked associations with "perverted sexual relationships."
"The performance was sufficient to elicit feelings of shame and disgust among the audience," the group contended. "Given that her gesture did not align with the choreography's context, it cannot be considered an artistic expression."
In response to the investigation, Hwasa's management company, P NATION, confirmed that the artist had fully cooperated with the authorities.
Hwasa herself addressed the controversy, revealing the emotional toll it took on her. "My recent performance has caused quite a stir... I usually don't pay much attention to hate comments, but this time they were particularly malicious," she shared during her appearance on the YouTube channel "Sung Si Kyung," hosted by fellow singer Sung Si-kyung on September 4th.
This incident is not the first time a K-pop star has faced scrutiny over the perceived obscenity of their performance. In 2010, G-Dragon of the K-pop boy band BIGBANG was questioned by prosecutors after accusations of simulating sexual acts with a female dancer during his solo concert in December 2009. Ultimately, the charges were dropped in that case.
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