ICAR Katseye food
Katseye is an American global girl group formed by Hybe Corporation and Geffen Records through the reality competition show Dream Academy. The group debuted on Juny 28, 2024. The group consists of six members: Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae.
In November 2021, Hybe Corporation and Geffen Records opened up applications for a new global female idol group as part of the Hybe x Geffen Records partnership. With auditions to be held in South Korea, the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom in 2022, the partnership aims to create a group that will “transcend national, cultural and artistic boundaries.”
From over 120,000 applicants, twenty contestants were selected to compete in the reality show Dream Academy, which determines the six members of the girl group. Premiering on August 19, 2023, the competition concluded on November 18, with Sophia Laforteza, Lara Raj, Yoonchae Jeong, Megan Skiendiel, Daniela Avanzini, and Manon Bannerman being selected to form the girl idol group, Katseye.
Katseye consists of 6 members, led by Sophia Elizabeth G. Laforteza as the team leader position. Sophia herself comes from the Philippines and was born in 2005, continuing with the oldest member Meret Manon Bannerman as a visual position in Katseye, comes from Swiss-Ghana with the year of birth 2002, Lara Rajagopalan with the position of lead vocalist, comes from Los Angeles California and India with the year of birth 2005. Daniela Andrea Avanzini Llorente as the main dancer, originally from Atlanta, Georgia with the year of birth 2004. Megan Meiyok Skiendiel with the position of vocalist comes from America and China with birth year 2006. Jeong Yoon Chae with the position of vocalist and maknae (the youngest member).
Debut Single: “Debut” was released on June 28, 2024, which followed single by touch was released on July 26, 2024. EP Release: Their first EP, “SIS (Soft Is Strong)”, was released on August 16, 2024. “Gnarly”: Released April 30, 2025, as their first digital single. With another Other Songs, They have also released songs like “My Way,” “I’m Pretty,” and “Tonight I Might”. Or sometimes covering dance and songs.
KATSEYE has yet to receive any significant awards, but they were nominated in the Favorite On Screen category at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards for their documentary “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE.” They have also shown a significant increase in YouTube views, marking a 101.7% increase from their usual growth. For more information like, iHeartRadio Nominations, KATSEYE is nominated in the Favorite On Screen category for their documentary “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE”.
KATSEYE has been involved in various events and concerts, including music shows such as Mnet MCountdown, KBS Music Bank, and MBC Music Core. In addition, they have also appeared in fan sign events and talk shows such as Arirang TV After School Club. For Music Show, Mnet MCountdown, KBS, Music Bank, MBC Music Core. And for Talk Show, Arirang TV After School Club. For Variety Show: MBC M Weekly Idol. And a Fan Sign, as implemented in the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, A Fan Event in Jakarta: “CATCHING KATSEYE & HYBE Noraebang”
As an entertainment group, Katseye also has several scandals, just like every artist in the entertainment world, such as comments and haters, for example that one scandal that Katseye has come under fire for allegedly deceiving its contestants, sparking a backlash among viewers. The show, a collaboration between K-pop powerhouse HYBE and US record label Geffen, aimed to form the first-ever global girl group from over 120,000 applicants worldwide. The series followed 20 trainees undergoing rigorous K-pop-style training in Los Angeles, with only six making it to the final group, Katseye.
However, controversy erupted when it was revealed that the contestants were unaware they were participating in a survival show. For weeks, the trainees believed they were simply in training, only to discover later that they were competing for public votes. The situation escalated in Episode 6 when four contestants were eliminated via a robotic voice on a TV screen, rather than being informed by their trainers. The news became a hot topic and sparked angry reactions from fans and contestants who did not pass on various social media platforms, for example, X and Instagram.
Several times the members also received visual and appearance criticism. which was recorded in the live katseye, such as receiving insults and bad comments, for example Lara and Manon because they have tan skin that does not match the other group members. Fans and enthusiasts think that Manon and Lara should follow the skin color standards of Korean people and artists, even though Katseye itself is a girl group that cannot be called a KPOP group because it was formed from a collaboration between American and Korean entertainment.
But katseye itself can handle small things like bad and evil criticism and insults from all eyes looking at their comeback. a comeback that has a concept that is the opposite of the previous comeback. aims to make the audience amazed and shocked by the concept that has changed drastically. starting from the music video and the concept and meaning of the song. Even though their new comeback has a concept that is very different from their debut comeback, Katseye still gets blasphemy and criticism. Some netizens enjoy and increasingly support Katseye’s career, but there are some who criticize.
For example, like in the comeback music video for the song Gnarly, where everyone loves the vibes of the song, or which has drawn criticism because the music video doesn’t feel connected and the song also has a meaning that triggers the emotions of netizens.
For me personally, i just started liking katseye recently, precisely during gnarly’s comeback. because i think the song really makes the soul burn with the beat and lyrics that match the concept. i am really amazed that katseye can make an album as good as this. moreover i like people who have tan skin, i myself really like member, Manon. because of her beautiful face and tan skin. and what interests me is the skin color of the Katseye members actually gives them a difference from other girl groups. moreover consisting of foreign countries makes Katseye more iconic.
By: AZAHRA AULIA SYAHIDA
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