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Katseye’s Manon has been caught in the middle of an unexpected controversy. This comes after the release of the group’s teaser for their upcoming single, Gnarly. On April 23, 2025, HYBE America shared the teaser showing the members dressed in black outfits on a red carpet. It led some aespa fans to accuse Katseye of copying visual elements from aespa’s Drama era.
However, the conversation quickly moved beyond musical similarities. Some Katseye supporters pointed out that, because Manon is Black, it would not be inappropriate for her to draw inspiration from styles influenced by Black culture. In response, a section of critics questioned Manon’s Blackness altogether.
They argued that her background was too distant for her to claim that cultural space. She faced comments that dismissed her cultural roots despite evidence of her Ghanaian heritage and identity.
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The conversation, originally about artistic choices, rapidly spiraled into a larger argument. It went about racial identity, cultural appropriation, and the behavior of online fan communities.
The debate intensified online, with some users wrongly dismissing waist beads as non-African and undermining Manon’s heritage. Others questioned whether her biracial background affected her right to embrace Black culture, despite her openly celebrating her Ghanaian roots.
Many fans defended her, emphasizing that cultural heritage is not limited by geography or appearance. One X user, @minitae73, wrote,
"All this for a concept?! Is that what this discord is about?"
Fans expressed that her background is valid and that her identity should not be erased based on where she was born.
"i just.... saw mys say... manon doesn't experience racism because she has a white mom and grew up in switzerland..???" a fan remarked.
"The quotes being like “she’s from Switzerland” well yes and she also has a fully Black Ghanaian Father so now what," a netizen added.
"all of a sudden manon is not black enough for y’all? aight," an X user wrote.
"the TL is pissing me off. Yes manon is black, no she isn’t African American and no that does not mean you can deny her blackness BUT that also doesn’t mean you can be racist because someone mentioned how kpop often steals from black culture," a user mentioned.
Many pointed out that criticizing someone's culture was unfair and based on false assumptions.
"It’s just never a peaceful day on this f**king app never a peaceful day on K-popTwitter, constantly being anti-black and now you got non-Black people saying waist beads aren’t west african like I can’t take yall f*cking serious," a fan commented.
""biracial from Switzerland" and what is she mixed with?" a user remarked.
"it’s so funny yall were doing all that for no reason because manon herself literally identifies as a black girl," a person added.
Katseye’s global background and upcoming comeback
Katseye is a six-member multinational group formed through HYBE and Geffen Records’ Dream Academy project. The group officially debuted in June 2024. It comprises members Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae. Katseye represents a wide range of backgrounds, including Switzerland, the USA, the Philippines, and South Korea.
Amid the controversy, Manon posted humorously about how social media perceived her, subtly addressing the situation without directly engaging in the conflict.
Katseye's first mini album, SIS (Soft is Strong), and hit track Touch helped establish their presence in the K-pop scene. Their new single, Gnarly, is set to release on April 30, 2025. It marks Katseye’s first comeback and is expected to showcase a more mature image.
However, the teaser for the song led to heated discussions online, with some fans pointing out visual similarities to other groups and others shifting the focus toward personal attacks against members.
The group’s journey highlights the increasingly global nature of K-pop, where diverse cultural backgrounds are becoming more visible within the industry.
