KATSEYE is a six-member global girl group formed through the reality competition series The Dream Academy, a groundbreaking collaboration between Hybe Corporation and Geffen Records. The group’s multinational lineup—featuring members from the United States, the Philippines, Switzerland, and South Korea—is a testament to their mission of creating a new blueprint for global pop music by combining K-pop artist development with a Western-pop approach.

Table of contents

Profile

  • Group Name: KATSEYE (캣츠아이)
  • Debut Date: June 28, 2024
  • Number of Members: 6
  • Members: Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae
  • Agency: Geffen Records and HYBE
  • Fandom name: EYEKONS (combination of “EYE” from “KATSEYE” and the group “icon”

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KATSEYE showcase debut

Member

  • Daniela (Daniela Andrea Avanzini Llorente): Born July 1, 2004, in Atlanta, USA. A professional dancer from a young age, she was a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation. Her heritage is Venezuelan-Cuban-Italian.
  • Lara (Lara Rajagopalan): Born November 3, 2005, in Los Angeles, USA. She is an accomplished vocalist and performer of Tamil Indian–Sri Lankan heritage. She previously appeared in a campaign for Michelle Obama’s Global Girls Alliance.
  • Manon (Meret Manon Sarpong Bannerman): Born June 26, 2002, in Zurich, Switzerland. She is of Swiss-Italian-Ghanaian heritage and gained popularity on social media platforms before joining the group.
  • Megan (Megan Meiyok Skiendiel): Born February 10, 2006, in Honolulu, USA. She has a background in professional dance and previously trained as a J-pop idol in Japan. She is of Swedish-Chinese heritage.
  • Sophia (Sophia Elizabeth Guevara Laforteza): Born December 31, 2002, in Queens, New York, USA. The daughter of a Filipino musical theater actress, she is the group’s leader and is known for her strong vocals.
  • Yoonchae (Jeung Yoon-chae): Born December 6, 2007, in Seoul, South Korea. As the youngest member, or “maknae,” she brings her experience from a prominent South Korean entertainment company, CJ E&M.
KATSEYE

Trivia

  • The group’s official name, KATSEYE, is derived from the vertical slit pupil of a cat’s eye. The logo reflects this design. Member Lara proposed changing “Cat” to “Kat.” Although it should be read as “Kats-eye,” the double “E” at the end leads many—both fans and the public—to pronounce it “Kat-se-ye.” Many fans even use this as a nickname.
  • The debut project for KATSEYE was kickstarted in November 2021, as HYBE and Geffen Records opened applications for a girl group with “contestants from around the world”, with auditions held across Korea, the US, Japan, and the UK in 2022. From over 120,000 applicants, 20 girls were selected to compete in the survival show “The Debut: Dream Academy”, which premiered in August 2023.
  • The show concluded in November of the same year, with 6 members being selected for the final lineup. In 2024, the girl group released the documentary “Pop Star Academy: Katseye”, which covered their debut preparation process.
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  • Most members trained in Los Angeles as HYBE x UMG trainees for about 1 to 1.5 years before appearing on The Debut: Dream Academy.
  • The members lived together in one dorm in LA, sharing 2 people per room until May 2025. In June, Manon and Sophia revealed via Weverse DM that they moved into separate rooms, now living in pairs per home. During hotel stays for schedules, roommates pair as follows: Sophia-Yoonchae, Lara-Megan, and Daniela-Manon.
  • They performed at the 2024 MAMA Awards at the Dolby Theatre alongside the LA Rams cheerleaders.
  • Their revealed training routine includes: treadmill → 50 minutes of core workouts → 5-minute plank while singing → ab exercises.
  • Lara and Megan have both come out as queer, a significant and celebrated move in the pop industry.

Career

Pre-Debut and Formation

Formal preparations for KATSEYE began in November 2021 with the launch of the Hybe x Geffen Records joint venture. The group’s formation was the subject of the reality competition The Debut: Dream Academy, which premiered on August 19, 2023, and concluded on November 18, 2023, with the selection of the final six members.

Debut and Breakthrough

KATSEYE officially debuted on June 28, 2024, with the single “Debut,” followed by their breakthrough single, “Touch.” They released their debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong), on August 16, 2024, which debuted at number 119 on the Billboard 200 chart.

In 2025, the group continued their rise to global prominence: They released the single “Gnarly” in April 2025, which, despite receiving mixed initial reactions, became their first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

KATSEYE followed up with their second EP, “Beautiful Chaos,” in June 2025, which featured the single “Gabriela.” “Gabriela” debuted at #94 on the Hot 100, marking the group’s second entry on the chart and their highest position to date.

They have also partnered with the beauty brand Glossier to launch a lip oil product line and performed at major festivals like Lollapalooza.

Controversies & Hot Topics

Mistreatment Allegations

Fans have expressed concern about what they perceive as Manon being unfairly edited in the Netflix series Popstar Academy, a lack of screen time in performances, and her being cropped out of official content. These concerns have sparked heated debates within the fandom, with some believing a narrative is being intentionally built against her by the company.

In 2025, within the fandom, the group faced complaints over Manon’s exclusion from major promotions—such as Glossier billboards, a Monster High collaboration video, and interview features—leading many supporters to accuse HYBE and Geffen Records of sidelining the group’s only Black member.

Bang Si-hyuk’s Awkward Insert

Earlier in 2024, KATSEYE become a hot topic in Korea – all because of a photo with HYBE’s chairman, Bang Si-hyuk.

At the time, many netizens criticized Bang Si-hyuk for trying to insert himself into KATSEYE’s magazine feature instead of letting the girl group shine on their own.

Replacing NewJeans

As the conflict with NewJeans and HYBE deepen in 2024, it is suspected that KATEYES was a project with the aim to replace NewJeans. This suspicion stems from a name considered for the group, “NEWCRAZY”, which ultimatelly ended up not being used.

Gnarly MV

Their single “Gnarly” sparked outrage after it was revealed to contain an explicit audio sample from an adult film—raising serious concerns about the involvement of their minor member, Yoonchae. This controversy was compounded by heavily sexualized choreography and suggestive outfits during M Countdown performances, prompting calls to regulatory bodies in Korea over the perceived sexualization of a minor.

Just prior, accusations emerged that their debut aesthetic and video concept bore too close a resemblance to visual elements used by BLACKPINK and aespa, leading fans to brand HYBE a “copycat.

Scooter Braun & Trump Supporting Allegations

On June 1, 2025, all six KATSEYE members were spotted at Disneyland with Scooter Braun, the powerful HYBE America CEO who has publicly identified as a Zionist. Braun shared photos of the outing captioned, “Today was a great day.” The appearance triggered swift backlash, especially from fans who viewed KATSEYE’s prior support for Palestine as conflicting with their cozy association with Braun. Critics accused the group of hypocrisy and called for boycotts.

Adding to the controversy, Daniela’s mother was discovered to follow Donald Trump on Instagram. Though she later clarified that it stemmed from interest in a non-political post, many fans expressed discomfort and demanded accountability.

Within fan communities, debates emerged about how much control KATSEYE members truly have over such associations—especially given Scooter Braun’s role as their CEO: “He’s their boss. You can’t just ignore him… if he says ‘Let’s do a family Disneyland trip’ they probably can’t say no.”

Fans demanded clarity and a response from KATSEYE or HYBE, raising broader questions about ethics, representation, and political consciousness in global K‑pop acts.