Katseye Hiatus: K-Pop Industry Pressure, Mental Health Concerns

Katseye member Manon is taking an indefinite break from group activities due to health concerns, igniting discussion among fans about the challenges of implementing K-pop practices outside of Korea and potential mistreatment.

Hybe and Geffen Records’ girl group, Katseye, announced on Weverse Saturday that the 23-year-old Manon will temporarily suspend her activities with the group.

“After open and thoughtful conversations together, we are sharing that Manon will be taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing,” the agency stated.

The statement did not specify the nature of Manon’s health issues or provide an estimated return date. When contacted by The Korea Herald, the agency declined to provide further details.

Manon has previously addressed the pressures she and her Katseye bandmates have faced since their debut in June 2024. In a November interview, the group revealed receiving thousands of online messages containing death threats and harassment.

Manon described the experience as “very terrorizing on the mind.”

However, industry sources point out that other Katseye members have also been subjected to similar online harassment, making it difficult to determine if online abuse alone triggered her hiatus.

Online fans have begun speculating about the reasons for Manon’s break. One post suggested “systemic mistreatment and racism faced by Black members in girl groups,” specifically referencing Manon and stating, “another Black girl subjected to racism and label mistreatment yet again.”

Manon briefly “liked” this post before removing the interaction, further fueling speculation, though she has not publicly commented on the issue. However, shortly after the announcement, she posted on Weverse, assuring fans that she was “healthy” and “trusting the bigger picture.”

These remarks have led some fans to question whether her hiatus is entirely health-related.

Breaks for health reasons are not uncommon among K-pop stars. Twice’s Dahyun announced a hiatus in February after suffering an ankle fracture, while Monsta X’s I.M paused activities last July due to back pain. In these instances, agencies typically provided clear medical explanations and general recovery timelines.

One entertainment industry insider suggested that the current situation may reflect the challenges of adapting the K-pop training system to global groups.

“There are established methods and standards that we have long followed in K-pop. Those systems have strengths, but they can also be perceived as drawbacks,” the official said anonymously. “Artists participating in this localized model are also experiencing it for the first time. And since Katseye members come from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds, their values and expectations may differ.”

Localized groups operate under the labor laws of their respective countries. Even within the same K-pop framework, rehearsal hours and promotional schedules can vary depending on whether activities are based in Korea, Japan, or the United States.

Still, demanding training routines and packed promotional schedules remain commonplace in the industry.

Similar issues have arisen in other localized K-pop projects. KG, formerly of JYP Entertainment’s US-based girl group VCHA, left the group last year, citing abuse and an unhealthy work environment. The group was later reorganized and rebranded as Girlset.

Music critic Lim Hee-yun highlighted a perceived low sensitivity to youth labor rights as a factor contributing to K-pop’s rapid growth – a dynamic that non-Korean artists may find difficult to accept.

“In Korea, there is a widely accepted social mindset that intense, almost Spartan-style effort during one’s teenage years will eventually be rewarded,” Lim said. “That mentality has, in some ways, carried over into K-pop. But for foreign trainees or artists who are not accustomed to that environment, it can be difficult to adapt.”

He added that while localization strategies have become possible because K-pop’s formula is now globally recognized and aspirational, “the reality may feel quite different once you are actually inside the system.”

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