KATSEYE

KATSEYE has six members: Sophia (the leader), Manon, Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae. They come from different countries (the US, Switzerland, Ghana, the Philippines, Venezuela, Cuba, India and South Korea by heritage), which is exactly the point: KATSEYE was built as a global group rather than a single-nationality one.

Six. Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae. Note that Manon has been on an officially announced temporary hiatus since 20 February 2026, so recent promotions and the upcoming EP have been presented as a five-member project.

Sort of, with an asterisk. KATSEYE was created under the K-pop training and idol system (built by HYBE, the company behind BTS, together with Geffen Records), but the group is based in Los Angeles, sings primarily in English and is marketed as a global pop act. Many people file them under K-pop; technically they are a US-based global group with K-pop DNA.

KATSEYE is based in Los Angeles, in the United States. The group was formed there through a joint program between HYBE (South Korea) and Geffen Records (US). The members themselves come from several countries, but the group operates out of the US.

The leader of KATSEYE is Sophia (Sophia Laforteza). Born on 31 December 2002, she is Filipino-American (born in Queens, New York, with Filipino roots) and the oldest active member of the group.

The youngest member of KATSEYE is Yoonchae (Yoonchae Jeung), born in 2007. She is South Korean and the maknae of the group.

By date of birth, Manon (26 June 2002) and Sophia (31 December 2002) are the two oldest members, both born in 2002. Sophia, the leader, is the oldest of the active line-up.

As of mid-2026: Sophia (born 31 Dec 2002) is 23, Manon (born 26 June 2002) is 23, Daniela (born 1 July 2004) is 21, Lara was born in 2005, Megan (born 10 Feb 2006) is 20, and Yoonchae was born in 2007. They are a young group, all in their late teens to early twenties.

Sophia is Filipino-American, Manon is Swiss-Ghanaian (born and raised in Zürich), Daniela is American with Venezuelan and Cuban heritage, Lara is Indian-American, Megan is American (from Honolulu, Hawaii) and Yoonchae is South Korean. The multinational line-up is a defining feature of the group.

Yes. Lara (Lara Raj) is Indian-American, born in 2005, and is widely reported as the first Indian artist signed under HYBE. Her background is a big part of why KATSEYE drew strong attention in India.

On 20 February 2026, HYBE and Geffen Records announced that Manon (Manon Bannerman) would take a temporary hiatus to focus on her mental health and well-being. She has not left the group: no departure has been confirmed by Manon or the labels. She is not featured in the promotions for the new EP WILD, which has fueled speculation, but as of now her status is officially a hiatus, not a departure. We do not speculate beyond that.

KATSEYE fans are called EYEKONS, a blend of 'eye' (from KATSEYE) and 'icon'. The fandom name was announced in April 2024.

KATSEYE plays on 'cat's eye' (the gemstone and the sharp, watchful gaze) and on the word 'eye'. The label has leaned into the eye imagery rather than publishing a single rigid acronym, which is why the fandom name, EYEKONS, also builds on 'eye'.

KATSEYE debuted in 2024 with the EP 'SIS (Soft Is Strong)' and its single 'Touch'. The group had been introduced to the public the same year through the survival show that selected its members.

KATSEYE was assembled through The Dream Academy, an intensive global program run jointly by HYBE and Geffen Records. Roughly 120,000 applicants were narrowed to 20 finalists, and six were chosen to form the group. The whole process was documented in the Netflix series 'Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE' (2024).

Their breakout hit is 'Gnarly' (released 30 April 2025), which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Other key tracks include 'Gabriela' and their debut single 'Touch'. 'Gnarly' was the lead single from their 2025 EP 'Beautiful Chaos'.

KATSEYE's new EP, 'WILD', is scheduled for 14 August 2026. It was announced in April 2026 as a five-member project (without Manon) and includes a track called 'Pinky Up'.

Yes. At the 2026 Grammys, KATSEYE earned a Best New Artist nomination, and their song 'Gabriela' was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, the first time a girl group has been nominated in that category since it was created in 2012. It was a landmark moment for the group.

In June 2026, KATSEYE landed Allure magazine's first-ever three-edition global cover (Allure US, Allure Philippines and Allure Korea), featuring the five active members. The interviews around it addressed Manon's hiatus and the upcoming EP WILD, on top of the group's 2026 Grammy nominations, which kept them firmly in the conversation.

Yes, in the sense that their origin story is. The Netflix docuseries 'Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE' (2024) follows The Dream Academy program and how the six members were selected from thousands of applicants.