MAMAMOO is a four-member KPOP girl group that debuted in 2014 under RBW, formerly known as Wa Entertainment. From a relatively small company, the members Solar, Hwasa, Wheein, and Moonbyul debuted with the single “Mr. Ambiguous,” but it wouldn’t be until 2016 that they would release their first studio album, Melting. Considered to be one of the strongest debuts in KPOP history by critics, the retro and R&B style often found in MAMAMOO’s discography is still incredibly praised nowadays.
MAMAMOO has a particularly humble beginning in KPOP. Debuting under a fairly unknown label comes with several hurdles to be faced along the way, and MAMAMOO is certainly a group that had its fair share of struggles. Regardless of the issues that come with being a small group from an even smaller company, MAMAMOO still persevered and is now known to have one of the strongest vocal lines in KPOP, granting them skyrocketing popularity. Here is a bit of information regarding the four incredibly talented members of MAMAMOO.
Solar
Kim Yong Sun, also known by her stage name Solar, was born on Feb. 21, 1991, in Seoul, South Korea. In spite of her young appearance, the singer is the oldest member of the group at 31 years old, and she is the third tallest member at 163cm (5’4). Solar’s first interest was actually in becoming a flight attendant, graduating from the Hanyang Women’s University. She currently has two degrees, one from Hanyang Women’s University where she got a degree in airline service; however, after being discovered by the scouting company, her life completely turned inside out. As an established idol, Solar went on to get a second degree, this time from Modern K Music Academy University. The “mom” of MAMAMOO is also the main vocalist in the group, praised for her versatile and powerful voice, as well as being a skilled dancer.
Moonbyul
Moon Byul-Yi, known as Moonbyul, was born on Dec. 2, 1992 in Bucheon, South Korea. The second-oldest member of MAMAMOO is 29 years old and also happens to be the tallest member in the group at 165cm (5’5). Moonbyul holds the position of the main rapper in MAMAMOO, although initially she auditioned as a vocalist. After entering RBW, Moonbyul started attending Paekche Institute of the Arts for media, music, and vocals. The rapper is also the most acclaimed female KPOP artist of her generation and is currently credited with over 100 songs all across Korean charts. Funnily enough, Moonbyul’s music repertoire is so extensive that she is also a part of yet another girl group called Girls Next Door. Although not entirely active, the seven-member group got its debut on the TV program Idol Drama Operation Team, where seven idols from other groups joined together for the project.
Wheein
Jung Whee In was born on April 17, 1995, and she is 162cm (5’3). Born in Jeonju, South Korea, Wheein is 27 years old, thus making her the second youngest member and also the second shortest. Wheein is the lead vocalist in MAMAMOO, especially praised for her stunning strong belts as well as her colorful and versatile voice. Similar to the other members, Wheein also opted to continue her studies, attending J Music Vocal Academy to study music. However, unlike other MAMAMOO members, Wheein actually ended her contract last year opting not to renew it with RBW. In spite of her decision to leave the company, Wheein signed an extended agreement with RBW to keep working and promoting with MAMAMOO until Dec. 2023, at least.
Hwasa
Ahn Hye Jin, known as Hwasa, was born on July 23, 1995, and she is 160cm (5’2). The 27-year-old grew up in Jeonju alongside group member Wheein. Friends since childhood, the two vocalists harbored the same dream of becoming singers, and although they took different routes, the two youngest members ended up at the same company, working together as colleagues and friends. Hwasa is the lead rapper as well as the lead vocalist, known for her raspy voice with jazz undertones. Besides her work with MAMAMOO, Hwasa has also had a successful career as a solo artist with songs like “Maria” and “TWIT” making it to the Korean charts upon release.
Although there is no group album in the works currently, Moonbyul and Solar are expected to debut as the first unit from the group, with an album already being planned for the future. The exact date for a release and details have yet to be disclosed, leaving plenty of speculation about the future music career of this group of talented artists.