"The growth of KATSEYE, the joint girl group of HYBE and Geffen Records, proves that Chairman Bang Si-hyuk's original method of designing global pop stars, which has endlessly evolved since introducing BTS, is still effective." - Bloomberg (Bloomberg)
About 2 years ago at the live finale stage of the global audition program "The Debut: Dream Academy," which had 120,000 applicants, there were six girls (Daniella, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sofia, Yoonchae) who could not hide their joy. They are the current KATSEYE members who now hold the trophy for PUSH Performance of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
KATSEYE showcased their true value at the ceremony pre-show watched by hundreds of thousands on YouTube. The members dominated the stage with an overwhelming performance that evenly highlighted excellent vocal ability, intense performance, and outstanding expressiveness, and the audience cheered loudly, singing along and following the signature choreography points for "Gnarly" and "Gabriela." It was a moment that showed how KATSEYE earned the label "the next-generation pop icon" and where their long-running popularity on major global charts began.
Gabriela, a track from KATSEYE's second EP BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, which hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200, climbed to No. 63 on the Hot 100 (Sept. 6 issue), marking its highest position to date. With Gnarly added, both songs reentered the main song charts simultaneously. Their Spotify monthly listeners (tracking period Aug. 14–Sept. 10) exceeded 29.29 million, a figure comparable to top-tier stars. This is an unusual surge occurring two months and a half and more than four months after the tracks were released, respectively.
KATSEYE's presence is even more striking at large-scale performances. They captivated about 420,000 music fans (including live streaming viewers) when they performed at Lollapalooza Chicago in August. Their 16-date solo North American tour across 13 cities starting in November sold out, proving KATSEYE's ticket power.
KATSEYE has expanded its influence into the fashion world. The "Better in Denim" campaign video with jeans brand GAP hit worldwide. According to GAP, the ad campaign recorded 8 billion impressions on social media and 400 million views (as of Aug. 28). It even appeared in GAP's second-quarter earnings report. GAP CEO Richard Dickson said people are actively engaging with the campaign beyond mere viewing, showing KATSEYE's cultural influence.
KATSEYE's dazzling results are the fruits of Chairman Bang Si-hyuk's "multi-home, multi-genre" strategy. Born from a strategy to transplant the K-pop production system around the world and discover and nurture local artists, KATSEYE has emerged as an artist representing not only excellent musical ability but also diversity and inclusivity. This aligns with Chairman Bang Si-hyuk's wish to "expand the scope of K-pop and contribute to its sustainability."
Foreign media also interpret Chairman Bang Si-hyuk's "K-pop methodology" as working in the global music market. U.S. critic Collider described KATSEYE as "a near-perfect girl group that has conquered both pop and the internet," explaining that HYBE and Geffen Records gathered members of various nationalities and backgrounds and succeeded in creating fresh music by blending K-pop and Western music.
The Associated Press also reported KATSEYE's MTV VMA win, highlighting that they possess a type of diversity entirely different from other pop groups. AP said HYBE and Geffen Records set out in 2023 to create a globally popular girl group, and their experiment achieved tremendous success.
U.S. music magazine The Fader said, "KATSEYE members trained and competed for almost two years to be finally selected as members of the group. That effort was fully revealed on the MTV VMA pre-show stage," emphasizing the effects of so-called "K-pop-style training" behind the members' performance capabilities.
HYBE's challenges continue. HYBE America and Geffen Records' second girl-group audition, WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE, will air next spring on Japan's OTT platform ABEMA. HYBE Latin America recently wrapped Pase a la Fama, the first band audition program in North and South America, and is running SANTOS BRAVOS to select a boy idol group. &TEAM, a group under YX Labels of HYBE Japan, is set to debut in Korea in October, and the India corporation, targeting the huge market of 1.4 billion people, is also preparing for launch.
KATSEYE's success is cited as proof of the effectiveness of HYBE's multi-home, multi-genre strategy to secure footholds in major global music markets and foster global artists. There is hope for a virtuous cycle of expanding music beyond the "K" in K-pop, creating global super IPs, and increasing market influence. And this is viewed not only as a breakthrough for HYBE but also as a way to transcend the limits of the K-pop market.
[Photo] HYBELABELS
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