Hwasa reveals hearing damage after in-ear monitor burst during tour
MAMAMOO’s Hwasa opened up about serious hearing damage caused by her in-ear monitor bursting during her North American tour. The revelation dropped on the July 13 episode of KBS’s Crazy Rich Koreans.
While battling a foot injury flare-up and cold symptoms during the Boston leg, Hwasa pushed through rehearsals despite visible pain and fatigue.
Hwasa: “This was the most threatening moment since the tour began… I felt like I was really about to catch something. I was incredibly worried, mostly about my physical condition and stamina.”
During rehearsal, hosts Jun Hyun Moo and Park Se Ri expressed concern over Hwasa’s condition.
Jun Hyun Moo: “You probably shouldn’t even be doing choreographies like that if your foot hurts.”
Hwasa: “Probably not. But the dancers are the same. We all grind through it together.”
The biggest shock came when Hwasa revealed that her in-ear monitor literally burst, damaging her left eardrum and causing hearing loss.
Hwasa:
“…When it gets that loud, it triggers my tinnitus, and it keeps damaging my eardrum. But I still crank my in-ear all the way up. At one point, the in-ear monitor literally burst.”KwakTube: “Wait, wouldn’t that have damaged your ear?”
Hwasa: “It did. That’s why I have trouble hearing in my left ear.”Jun Hyun Moo: “Did this happen at the Boston concert?!”
Hwasa: “No. But I always have the in-ear to be at full volume, so my eardrum is damaged. I constantly hear ringing in my ear.”
Despite these struggles, Hwasa completed the North American “Twits” fancon tour. She will resume touring in Bangkok on August 10 and continue through Europe until November 2025.
