KATSEYE Are Pop’s New Dream Team
Fresh off releasing their breakthrough EP, the group looks back on everything that has led them up to this point — reflecting on their tight-knit dynamic, ever-changing creative process, and their role as representatives of various cultures on the global stage.
In an industry that often demands immediate results, virality is what many artists and record labels find themselves in constant pursuit of.
There’s no denying the fact that a singular hit track could catapult any musician into a household name overnight, so what more could happen once an artist has established at least three major hit singles quite early on in their career?
Enter KATSEYE, the six-piece global pop girl group formed as a joint endeavor between South Korea’s K-popK-PopA genre of South Korean popular music known for polished production, intricate choreography, and elaborate visuals, built around trainee systems and global fandoms. K-pop has a huge following in theGo to K-Pop Glossary powerhouse, HYBE, and the renowned American label, Geffen Records. The fascinating, if engrossing, story of their formation is already a fairy tale of sorts on its own, yet what the world finds itself captivated by these days is their rapid ascent within the global music industry. Because right now, there’s no denying the fact that KATSEYE is finally having their big moment.
After one very eventful year for the group, nearly everything has changed in the lives of members Sophia, Manon, Daniella, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae. While their first single, “Debut,” was met with a warm response, it was their breakout hit, “Touch,” that began to spread their name around the world, garnering the group its status as one of pop’s most promising acts.
Soon enough, they not only followed up on its success — they went over and beyond to hit it even bigger with their latest set of viral singles, “Gnarly” and “Gabriela,” from their second EP, Beautiful Chaos. Yet as much as the chart-breaking success of the record indicates new career heights for the group, the songs that lie within it perfectly represent their fast-growing evolution as beloved artists in pop.
However, as I talk to them right before their Billboard Philippines cover shoot, it’s clear that they are still very much the same grounded young women whom I first met a year ago. Though a lot has indeed changed for them, they still retain the same giddy excitement and awe as they arrive on set — even if their call time was at 8 AM (for which they were actually early to).
“It’s definitely been a big journey with such a short amount of time. We’ve only been active as KATSEYE for a little over a year, yet we’ve been blessed to go through so much already,” Sophia mentions, reflecting on the whirlwind (and jam-packed) year they’ve had thus far. “Now, everything we do is about how all six of us are together against the world, especially with our goal at the end of the day — which is all about success and world domination for KATSEYE.”
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
Such an ambitious goal has seen the group embarking on various musical, marketing, and promotional endeavors, whether it’s multiple sessions in a recording studio, live performances on Korean live television, or even a multitude of viral TikTok videos that charm audiences with their cheeky wit and humor. “Even with everything we’ve been doing, I think we’re feeling that it’s still really new and exciting to us,” notes Megan. “Every time that we have a new song or project, we’re excited to take it as an opportunity to show another part of ourselves to the world,” she continues.
Their latest EP, Beautiful Chaos, serves as the prime example of that fact, given that it captures the raw and messy nature of growing up in a world filled with Gen Z angst. Though some would note its title is a bizarre juxtaposition of its own, the group recognizes how apt it is to where they are today. “Beautiful Chaos is the dictionary definition of where KATSEYE is right now,” Sophia points out. “It plays into so many different parts of who we are, whether it plays into the cultural collision of all six of our different cultures coming together, or even the discussion of ‘Are we K-pop? Are we pop? Like, what’s going on with that?’”
“Everything we do is about how all six of us are together against the world, especially with our goal at the end of the day — which is all about success and world domination for KATSEYE”
– Sophia
She continues, “We have so many things just we’re playing into with this title, which features a lot of the confusion we feel about the world — yet there’s also a sense of beauty in it because that is how the whole world is, too.”
Aside from the existential conundrum that its title imposes on them, all the members note just how different the process of bringing the record to life was in comparison to the softer sounds of its predecessor, SIS (Soft Is Strong).
“We had a lot more involvement in the creative process this time around, specifically with the concept of the EPEPShort for extended play, a collection of songs longer than a single but shorter than a full album, typically containing three to six tracks. Artists use EPs to introduce theirGo to EP Glossary,” Lara shares. “All six of us were very aligned on a vision that we wanted this EP to show a little bit more of our grit and strength, and even our maturity. We’ve really taken the past year to develop our identity as a group, especially as one unit, so we understand each other a lot better now, and we wanted that to reflect in the EP.”
The experimental hyperpop single “Gnarly” marked the EPEPShort for extended play, a collection of songs longer than a single but shorter than a full album, typically containing three to six tracks. Artists use EPs to introduce theirGo to EP Glossary’s first teaser, and was immediately met with a polarizing response from the general public. Its roaring, heavy-handed production paired with nonsensical lyricism didn’t register immediately with audiences, though that was the intention the group had upon its release. “We knew it was gonna have that kind of reaction, but we took that risk to gauge our position as trendsetters to make a difference by bringing something new to the table,” says Sophia. “It was always gonna have this initial shock to people. But we had so much confidence in it, so we knew that it was eventually going to be something special.”
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
As the song began to take off on various global charts and platforms, it shot them up even further to a whole new audience that kept the song on loop. “It’s honestly unreal to see how much growth there was with regards to our reach following ‘Gnarly’s’ release,” Daniela recalls, with Manon even stating, “It felt like all of the hard work that we put into KATSEYE was starting to pay off. And from then on, we couldn’t have waited to welcome even more people into our fanbase of EYEKONs.”
Upon the release of Beautiful Chaos in its entirety, the world found themselves even more enamored with the group — embracing the Latin-flavored “Gabriela,” the prismatic pop of “Gameboy,” and even the rousing EDM anthem “MIA” with open ears, arms (and wallets). With at least four of the five songs trending on TikTok alone, it has satisfied the group, particularly Yoonchae, who enjoys sending links to her fellow members.
“The responses have been great, because we really wanted this to showcase our versatility, especially in showing the wide range in our sound and concept palette as KATSEYE. We wanted to show all these different colors and flavors that you haven’t seen yet, and I’d like to think we accomplished that,” shares Sophia.
“Every time that we have a new song or project, we’re excited to take it as an opportunity to show another part of ourselves to the world”
– Megan
With their recent success, KATSEYE have now clinched the spot as one of the most-streamed girl groups in the world, even beating some of their contemporaries in the pop scene. Both their group and individual social profiles have over two million followers each, which highlights their immense reach worldwide. Though that trajectory seems to be going further up as the days go by, the group also remains aware of the potential pressures and challenges that come with ascending to new career heights.
“There’s always pressure, especially with being in the limelight,” Megan mentions. “You always want to do your best, say the right thing, and even do the right thing. But it also always comes with a double-edged sword, like social media — it’s the one thing that always gets to us.”
In dealing with the microscopic lens that many critics, haters, and even fans have put them under, the group notes that the most important thing that keeps them centered (and unbothered) is their bond with one another. “We really utilize each other to stay grounded. I would say that this year, we have dealt with a lot of new emotions because there are so many eyes on us, and it’s all happening in such a short amount of time. But what’s important is that we’re figuring it out together,” proclaims Lara.
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
‘We do like leaning on each other because it’s so refreshing to have five other girls who are going through the exact same thing as you are,” adds Manon. “There’s a sense of comfort in that, and it really goes to show that sense of sisterhood that we genuinely share.”
Yoonchae also notes how finding a sisterhood with her fellow KATSEYE members is one of her favorite things about their journey so far. “I love that we got the opportunity to become closer, “ she says. “After our SIS era, that was where we got so much closer, because even during the promo tours that we went to, we got to know each other a lot more, and I can say we all loved it so much.”
Such a sentiment is echoed by Megan, who mentions that their bond is different from their time at the Dream Academy. “We were all sisters in the Dream Academy program, but since it was a competition, we were trying to focus on becoming a group and getting our slot within it. But now, as part of KATSEYE, I think we really formed a family and that sisterhood bond, especially after spending a whole year together. We got to know all the deep things about each other, and how certain members work, or how certain members need certain things,” she states.
She also recalls just how vivid their understandings are of one another’s routines, processes, and even their unique “quirks” before a performance. “By getting to know what works for each of us, we learned how to rely on one another and worked on strengthening that family bond,” continues Megan. ”Now, we can fully trust one another as a unit.”
“We do like leaning on each other because it’s so refreshing to have five other girls going through the exact same thing as you are”
– Manon
As the leader of the group, Sophia is often the guiding compass of this sisterhood, as she carries a lot of the weight of their responsibilities — even if it’s a role that she lovingly shares with her fellow members. “What’s so special about being the leader of KATSEYE is that I feel like I’m in a group of leaders,” she shares. “I’m always going to consider myself a member first, and a lot of the time, I feel like we’re all leading one another to steer toward the same and best direction as a group.”
The Filipina member notes how such a dynamic has bled into their creative process, especially with what she notes about their approach to music. “We all hear music differently, and I noticed that it does affect our unique processes as artists,” she states. For herself, she mentions how she analyzes their performance approach with a focus on a track’s vocal and lyrical segments, while for other members (like Daniela and Megan), they begin their approach with an emphasis on the choreography segments.
“I find it really interesting, because it gives KATSEYE and how we approach our music a lot of dimension. That’s one of the beauties of being in a group with six musically talented women — it’s that we all get to sit at the table, listen to the song, and literally hear so many different parts of it in our own ways, and then we like to put that all together. It’s beautifully chaotic,” Sophia adds.
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
The strength of their bond and creative compatibility comes across in their relationships with each other, given what they all represent, coming from various cultural backgrounds and nationalities. “When we come together, we have different strengths and there’s a unique aspect that each of us brings to the table,” says Daniela. “Our different heritage is what empowers us because we’re all coming together as one. And representation really does mean a lot to all of us.”
Manon stresses the importance of such a factor in what they get to do, noting how there’s a certain honor in representing their cultures on such a massive global scale. “To be the ones to represent so many young girls around the world is such a privilege, even in that role of being someone they can look up to,” she mentions.
Through a casual scroll on TikTok, Instagram, or even X (formerly Twitter), one could easily find celebratory posts from their fandom that honor each member’s heritage. Whether it’s Manon’s Ghanaian waist beads and braids, Lara’s bindi, or Megan’s jade jewelry, these subtle yet powerful means of embracing their culture speak volumes to millions of people worldwide. In an industry like K-pop or even the Western music scene, such a public embrace of foreign culture is often overlooked and underrepresented.
“Our different heritage is what empowers us because we’re all coming together as one. And representation really does mean a lot to all of us.”
– Daniela
Now having that influence over their audience, both Sophia and Lara note how such a multicultural and diverse type of representation is something that wasn’t common for either of them growing up, even if it’s something they hope to carry with pride for others.
“We all wish we had something like this growing up, and we think it could have had such a positive impact on our lives,” says Lara. “It’s that fact that makes it so exciting for us to be those people for so many others out there, but it’s also really important to us that we do it right,” she adds, recognizing the weight of wielding such responsibilities.
With such a significant impression alone, it’s already clear that KATSEYE’s impact has gone beyond the realm of music, extending its way into the deeply-rooted lines of heritage and culture, and more. Still, their virality and popular nature have made them prolific figures in Gen Z pop culture, reaching out across other disciplines such as fashion and even with modern memes.
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
Yet despite that, KATSEYE isn’t set on slowing down any time soon. “The next step is really global domination. We want to take over the world, and I want to perform in every single country of this planet to make the people in the smallest countries know who KATSEYE is,” states Manon.
It’s merely the beginning of a massive movement for the group moving forward, given what other impressions and impact they aspire to leave on culture in the future. “It would be a big thing for us if our music were to become timeless, in the way that we think about the Spice Girls, and also in a different way that could also live on forever. I want KATSEYE to be remembered by people and generations later for being the pioneers of this new wave, or even just as a group that left a strong impact on music and culture,” Lara stresses.
“Other than musically, I feel like we as a group would want to use our platform to inspire everybody, especially young women, to embrace who they are,” adds Daniela. “And if someone like any of us wants to become an artist, we want them to know that they can dream big, too.”
“I love that we got the opportunity to become closer. We got to know each other a lot more, and I can say we all loved it so much.”
– Yoonchae
Though for now, the future may be a bit too far beyond, as they’re still in the middle of the promotional rollout for Beautiful Chaos. But little by little, KATSEYE are already making their way towards their end goal of global domination, following the announcement of their first-ever concert tour, which has already sold out all of its dates across North America.
With demand for their artistry at an all-time high, it’s clear that the era of Beautiful Chaos is set to mark a significant milestone in their relatively young career. “I want [this era] to be remembered as the breakthrough of KATSEYE. I want EYEKONs to have a Beautiful Chaos Summer, and to just bump it everywhere,” Manon says.
“This chapter and era of where we are, it’s all about bringing that confidence for everyone to be themselves, because that’s like the most fun and freeing thing to be,” shares Megan. “We’re just showing the authentic side of KATSEYE with a little bit of our edginess added into it, too.”
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
And while Beautiful Chaos may serve as a pivotal sonic era for KATSEYE, the group hopes it becomes something even greater than just a moment in their ongoing career. “We would love for Beautiful Chaos to create a shift in our own journey, leading to an impact on the music industry that could play out in any way,” Sophia shares. “But I want it to make KATSEYE recognized as an artist that isn’t afraid of making waves.” It’s a sentiment echoed by Daniela, who adds, “We just want this EP to make an impact and inspire others to try something new and not to be afraid to get uncomfortable, because even in reality, I feel like you have to get a little uncomfortable to succeed and to grow.”
“You have to get out of your comfort zone, and I feel like Beautiful Chaos is kind of like that, especially with our story as KATSEYE,” she concludes.
“I want KATSEYE to be remembered by people and generations later for being the pioneers of this new wave, or even just as a group that left a strong impact on music and culture”
– Lara
That willingness to push beyond the expected, to challenge norms, and to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth lies at the heart of KATSEYE’s ethos — and perhaps that’s what makes them stand apart. Because despite the viral numbers, the streaming milestones, and the sold-out shows, what becomes most apparent after spending time with the group is that KATSEYE take their craft — and what they represent — very seriously.
While they’ve become a symbol of modern pop phenomenon, they are also six empowered young women who deeply understand the power of their platform: what it means to be seen, to be heard, and to be remembered.
As they continue to ascend toward household-name status, commercial achievements aren’t the final destination, as they’re merely by-products of what else is to come from their efforts in the future. For what KATSEYE ultimately hope to leave behind is a legacy, one that is rooted in pride, representation, and an unapologetic sense of femininity and sisterhood. Because a legacy doesn’t just ride the wave of pop culture — it creates it, boldly, beautifully, and on their own terms, perhaps with a little chaos sprinkled in here and there.
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Art by Alannah Mitra.
A version of this story originally appeared on Billboard Philippines‘ August 2025 issue.
Photographed by JC Cerilla. Creative Direction by Daryl Chang. Art Direction by Nicole Almero. Art by Alannah Mitra. Make up by Valerie Vonprisk assisted by Ashley Ysabelle Sarmiento. Hair by Sully Layo assisted by Ryan Taniguchi. Camcorder videographer Coey Wu. Interview Video & BTS video Edmond Liang. Assistant and BTS photographer Sky Wu assisted by Malcolm Bacani. Production by Andrew Bear & Spencer Kelly of Hyperion LA. Shot at Hype Studios LA. Produced by Mika Cruz.
Special thanks to Hybe, Geffen Records, Interscope, UMG PH, Hyperion LA, & Hype Studios LA.
Written by Gabriel Saulog. Billboard Philippines, August 2025.