Hwasa crossed the line? Controversy over obscene performance at university festival

Singer Hwasa is causing controversy after showing an unconventional performance at a university concert. There are conflicting views, with those saying it was just a performance shown at a free university festival and others saying the obscene language was excessive. As Hwasa has been attracting public attention with her sexy concept, she seems to be walking a tightrope between sexy concept and obscenity.

Hwasa recently performed as a singer at the Sungkyunkwan University festival 'Daedongje' along with Lee Hyori and Kim Wan-seong. On this day, Hwasa sang a medley by her group Mamamoo as well as 'Don't Give Me' with guest Loco. Hwasa, wearing a see-through look and short pants, also showed off her dance moves to the groovy rhythm of ‘Don’t Give Me’.

The point of contention is some of Hwasa's performances. Hwasa made a motion of licking her hand with her tongue and then placed her hand on a specific body part. Most people cheered at the exciting scene, but some audience members and netizens who watched the video were of the opinion that it was a bit vulgar to be considered a performance.

The performance was conducted as part of the filming of tvN's 'Dance Singer Wandering Troupe'. 'Dance Singer Wandering Troupe' is an entertainment show that features Kim Wan-sun, Uhm Jung-hwa, Lee Hyori, BoA, and Hwasa traveling around the country, entering people's daily lives, meeting fans face-to-face, and enjoying a national tour concert. It has not yet been aired. However, 'fancams' taken by audience members are being uploaded online, giving a preview of the scene. Accordingly, there are many opinions as to whether Hwasa's performance is appropriate for the 'Dance Singer Wandering Troupe' scene, which is intended for audiences aged 15 and older. However, it is expected that this scene will be difficult to air.

The online fancam video mainly contains comments praising Hwasa's performance, such as "Hwasa tore it up" and "She dominated the stage." Some say that Hwasa's performance made the concert even more exciting. However, there is also criticism that the water level was not maintained due to the overheated atmosphere. Even without that performance, they were able to present a sufficiently sexy stage. In fact, even if you look at the context of the video, it was not a necessary performance. Some netizens are expressing the opinion that even at a university festival where adult college students are the main visitors, overly explicit sexual expressions should have been avoided.

Hwasa has been considered an 'icon of boldness' for her stage costumes such as jumpsuits and lingerie looks as well as her sexy yet rhythmic choreography. The reason why a bold and confident attitude without crossing the line drew a positive response. It is necessary to distinguish between obscene stages that do not require bold performances.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr