Jaehwa Bernardo

MAMAMOO pose for a photo with the crowd during the Manila stop of their ‘4WARD’ concert tour at the Araneta Coliseum on August 8, 2026. The group also received a cake from fans, seen in the photo, featuring a film strip with photos from throughout their career. Photo from MAMAMOO’s X account

Article (news)

MAMAMOO plays hits, delivers plenty of fan service at ‘4WARD’ concert

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786249750135MAMAMOO-CON.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">MAMAMOO pose for a photo with the crowd during the Manila stop of their ‘4WARD’ concert tour at the Araneta Coliseum on August 8, 2026. The group also received a cake from fans, seen in the photo, featuring a film strip with photos from throughout their career.<em> Photo from MAMAMOO’s X account</em></span></span></span></div><p>As a K-pop fan heading into a MAMAMOO concert, you probably already have an idea of what to expect: thrilling performances driven by powerhouse vocals — the very things the four-member girl group is known for. But that familiarity doesn’t necessarily make the group’s live shows predictable, nor does it take away from the excitement of seeing the foursome perform in person.</p><p>In fact, Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein and Hwasa had quite a few surprises in store when they took the stage at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday for their “4WARD” world tour, marking their return to the Philippines and the same venue three years after <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/02/13/23/mamamoo-rocks-manila-vows-to-return"><strong>their last performance</strong></a> in the country.</p><p>During the opening, for instance, one might expect the artists to make their entrance from center stage, as is the usual case for most K-pop acts. But Solar and Moonbyul, who deliver the opening verses of “Mr. Ambiguous,” instead emerge from the audience, sending fans into a frenzy as they get to see the two up close from the get-go before making their way to the stage to join Wheein and Hwasa for the rest of the song.</p><p>Early into the show, leader Solar explained through an interpreter that the tour’s title “signifies how we, MAMAMOO, together with MooMoos, will move and step forward continuously.” It’s a fitting reassurance for a K-pop group whose members no longer share the same label and have largely focused on their respective solo careers in recent years.</p><p>Yet while the concert’s title looks toward what lies ahead, MAMAMOO themselves seemed intent on looking back, delivering a show that felt like a career retrospective through a setlist composed of hit singles and beloved B-sides from across their 12-year run.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1836884133942170%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>As mentioned, the group aptly opened the evening with its debut song, “Mr. Ambiguous,” noted for its brassy, retro-inspired sound and bluesy vocal delivery. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DIVERSE SOUNDS</strong></div><p>Throughout their career, however, MAMAMOO have diversified their sound, particularly across their singles.</p><p>That variety was evident throughout the concert: “Egotistic” draws on Latin influences through its acoustic Spanish guitars; “Starry Night” trades powerful high notes for soulful vocals over more subdued yet atmospheric production; while “Aya” features a sinuous flute melody and an outro that switches things up, to name a few.</p><p>When it came to standout vocal moments, the highlights were undoubtedly the hit single “Decalcomanie,” which saw Hwasa getting the crowd to sing along to its opening lines before building to a satisfyingly climactic finale that left listeners stunned; the R&amp;B ballad “I Miss You,” which felt like a heartfelt message to the fans; and their <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/6/4/k-pop-group-mamamoo-makes-comeback-with-4ward-1717"><strong>latest single “4 Flowers.”</strong></a><strong><br/></strong></p><p>There were, of course, lighter numbers. During “Taller Than You,” the quartet came out onstage in sparkling, colorful jackets reminiscent of those worn by South Korea’s trot singers. True to the styling, they performed a trot version of the self-referential song, teasing each other over their heights.</p><p>The girls then shed their jackets to reveal denim outfits, complete with headbands — Wheein’s, for instance, was red and featured eyeballs reminiscent of Sesame Street’s Elmo, while Hwasa’s had a flower — as they launched into a medley of B-sides featuring cute moves, where it became apparent that the girls were simply having fun onstage. During “New York,” they even unveiled a Broadway-inspired set.</p><p>Beyond the performances, MAMAMOO generously indulged fans with plenty of fan service, leaving the stage several times to interact with them, especially during their solo numbers.</p><p>The usually fierce Hwasa was “So Cute” with her 2026 synth-pop single. At one point, she sat on the floor beside a fan, resting her arm on his leg as she happily took a selfie with him on his phone before affectionately touching his cheek. She then moved on to another fan, briefly handing him the microphone.</p><p>The charming Wheein channeled a punk-rock princess with “The Symphony of Fxxkboys” before passing the spotlight to rapper Moonbyul, who delivered “Hertz” from the middle of the floor section, at one point even sitting on a female fan’s lap.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/22/23/mamamoos-hwasa-on-i-love-my-body-psy-ph-concert"><strong>INTERVIEW: K-pop singer Hwasa on ‘I Love My Body,’ PSY, Mamamoo&#x27;s PH concert<br/></strong></a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/01/23/for-mamamoos-whee-in-making-full-album-challenging-enjoyable"><strong>INTERVIEW: For MAMAMOO’s Whee In, making full album ‘challenging, enjoyable’<br/></strong></a></div><p>Solar capped the solo segment with “Blues,” effortlessly unleashing the full force of her vocals as if she hadn’t already been delivering high notes from the very start of the concert.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2078574916073766%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>ENERGETIC FANS</strong></div><p>Throughout the performances, the MooMoos screamed and waved their light sticks. While Filipino fans are often known for singing along, the local crowd did so too, especially when urged by the girls, but also fell silent at times just to savor MAMAMOO’s voices.</p><p>“During the soundcheck, we already felt this, but we could really feel the energy of Manila MooMoos into our bones,” Solar said. </p><p>Recalling the previous concert for their “My Con” tour, she continued: “When we were in Manila three years ago, we left with such a great aftertaste of the concert. We saw how much you guys enjoyed our concert that time and actually we received a lot of good influence from that.”</p><p>Later, Solar said: “Manila MooMoos, You guys were really, really passionately enjoying yourselves, that’s why we can’t forget you. The best kayo, MooMoo!”.</p><p>During the encore, fans presented the group with a video looking back on their career, as well as their 2023 concert, telling them, “When the reality of life hits hard and all feels so draining, you and your music kept our hearts alive and beating” and thanking them “for being a page in our lives that we don’t want to stop rereading.”</p><p>As if the video weren’t touching enough, the group also received a cake onstage featuring a pull-out film strip displaying photos from throughout their “history,” visibly surprising the members.</p><p>As the nearly three-hour concert, presented by Wilbros Live, came to a close, the girls thanked fans for <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/9/mmda-rain-volume-in-recent-days-too-much-for-metro-s-creeks-waterways-0915"><strong>braving the rain</strong></a> to see them. “It’s been three years since we last visited Manila but it feels like your heat grew more intense right now,” Solar said.</p><p>“We sincerely thank you for creating such wonderful and precious memories,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SETLIST</strong></div><p>Mr. Ambiguous</p><p>Destiny</p><p>Egotistic</p><p>4x4ever</p><p>Piano Man</p><p>Decalcomanie</p><p>I Miss You</p><p>Starry Night</p><p>Taller Than You (Trot version)</p><p>Sleep In The Car</p><p>Aze Gag + Waggy + New York + Freakin Shoes + Baton Touch (B-side medley)</p><p>So Cute (Hwasa solo)</p><p>The Symphony of Fxxkboys (Wheein solo)</p><p>Hertz (Moonbyul solo)</p><p>Blues (Solar solo)</p><p>4 Flowers</p><p>Aya</p><p>Hip</p><p>Dingga</p><p>Gogobebe</p><p>Wind Flower</p><p>You’re the Best</p><p>Um Oh Ah Yeh</p><p>Yes I Am</p>

<p>K-pop girl group MAMAMOO delivered a career-spanning setlist and plenty of fan service during their ‘4WARD’ concert at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.</p>

K-pop girl group MAMAMOO delivered a career-spanning setlist and plenty of fan service during their ‘4WARD’ concert at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.