As 2026 settles into its rhythm, one song continues to echo from the very start of the year: “Good Goodbye.”
For Hwasa, the track wasn’t just a hit it became a defining emotional marker that carried her from the end of 2025 straight into a powerful new chapter.
A Song That Refused to Fade
Released late last year, Good Goodbye pulled off a rare feat: a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) across Korea’s major music platforms. Even more striking, the song surged back to No.1 after its initial run outlasting year-end releases and even holding its ground through the Christmas chart season.
At a time when most hits quietly taper off, Good Goodbye did the opposite. It grew.
Alongside this solo success, Hwasa also capped the year with renewed momentum as part of MAMAMOO, reinforcing her unique position as both a group anchor and a proven digital powerhouse on her own.
“It Became a Year I’ll Never Forget”
Looking back, Hwasa described 2025 as a turning point shaped less by rankings and more by connection.
“Of course, reaching No.1 mattered,” she shared in an interview,
“but what moved me most was hearing that the song comforted people or gave them strength. That kind of response healed me too.”
Those reactions, she said, transformed the song from a career achievement into a personal memory she intends to carry forward.
The Stage That Changed the Song’s Trajectory
One moment, in particular, redefined Good Goodbye’s impact.
On December 19, Hwasa took the stage at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards, delivering a cinematic performance that felt closer to a short film than an awards-show interlude. Her emotionally charged sequence with actor Park Jung-min quickly became one of the night’s most talked-about highlights.
Following the broadcast, the song’s streams spiked dramatically sending it straight back to the top of the charts and cementing its place as one of the most memorable musical moments bridging 2025 and 2026.
A 2026 Resolution Centered on Fans
Rather than treating the new year as a reset, Hwasa views it as a continuation.
“This year,” she explained,
“I want to make music that gives even a small amount of happiness to my fans. Sharing comfort through music is why I write and sing in the first place.”
Her focus, she says, is on running harder from the very beginning of the year—not just in output, but in emotional connection.
“Run Like a Red Horse”
Hwasa also shared a message that resonated widely at the start of 2026, drawing from the lunar calendar.
“They say this is the Year of the Red Horse,” she said with a smile.
“Horses symbolize strong energy. I hope everyone can move through this year with that same power and momentum.”
The phrase quickly became a quiet mantra among fans one that neatly mirrors Hwasa’s own pace heading into the year.
A Milestone Already Achieved
That forward motion has already materialized on stage. In January, Hwasa held her first-ever solo concert, 2026 HWASA CONCERT 〈MI CASA〉, at Kyung Hee University’s Peace Hall in Seoul another landmark moment that underscored how far she has come.
Why Good Goodbye Still Matters
More than a month into 2026, Good Goodbye no longer feels like a song from “last year.” Instead, it stands as the emotional bridge between who Hwasa was and where she’s heading next.
With gratitude behind her and momentum firmly on her side, Hwasa’s message remains clear:
this isn’t a year for slowing down it’s a year for running forward, powerfully.