The six-member group, which was formed via the 2023 YouTube competition series The Debut: Dream Academy by American label Geffen Records and South Korea’s Hybe (the company behind BTS), achieved extraordinary success in just two and a half years. Katseye topped the Billboard 200, amassed over 34 million monthly Spotify listeners, and performed at events including Coachella, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and Saturday Night Live, all before the eldest member turned 25.
However, the intense demands of the K-pop style training and performance schedule have taken a toll. In February, the labels announced Bannerman’s temporary hiatus to “focus on her health and wellbeing”. Bannerman later assured fans she was caring for herself, adding that “sometimes things unfold in ways we don’t fully control”. Five months later, Laforteza went on hiatus for mental health concerns; she is expected to return in January.
The documentary, which began streaming last week, largely glosses over these absences beyond a brief mention of therapy. This omission has concerned fans, especially after Bannerman reportedly liked a social media post referencing systemic mistreatment and racism faced by Black members in girl groups. The remaining members have denied that race played a role. “We can definitely say that in our situation, in no way was it about race,” Laforteza told Vanity Fair in June. “That goes against everything that we stand for.” Still, some fans have called for a boycott of Katseye until Bannerman is reinstated.
Dr Sarah Keith, senior lecturer in media at Macquarie University, said the group’s “unabashed pop” and willingness to adapt quickly between genres drove their success, but the pressures of the K-pop system are evident. She noted that online toxicity has also been a factor: members have reported racist or misogynistic abuse, including offensive attractiveness polls and death threats. “Any stumbles by the group or its members will likely be interpreted as a sign of this experiment failing,” Keith said.
Looking ahead, hiatuses are common in K-pop. Keith suggested that subunits could allow Katseye to continue with fewer members. “For Katseye, four members would probably be sustainable, but it would be difficult if they had to operate with any fewer than that.” The long-term viability of hybrid groups like Katseye remains uncertain. “K-pop agencies and Western artists and labels have been collaborating for decades, and Katseye is one of their biggest successes to date. But that doesn’t mean that any global group trained in the K-pop style will automatically succeed,” Keith said. “I’m not sure whether we will see another hybrid group soon.”