Global group KATSEYE (comprised of Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoon Chae) from HYBE is facing unexpected accusations of racism. The allegations primarily concern Yoon Chae, the group’s sole Korean member.
Recently, Daniela’s father shared a selfie with KATSEYE members on his social media.
In a photo with his daughter Daniela, he added the caption “Daniela and Dad♥ KATSEYE”; he wrote “Love you Lara, you’re a superstar” with a heart emoji for the photo with Indian-American Lara. For the picture with Sophia from the Philippines, he commented “My Filipino superstar Sophia” along with a heart emoji.
However, in the photo with Korean member Yoon Chae, he neither smiled nor added an elaborate caption, only writing “Yoon Chae…. Atlanta.” Given the performance was held in Atlanta, some interpreted this as him having nothing further to add beyond the location.
This prompted questions about whether Daniela’s father was intentionally racist. Criticism intensified after he responded to a fan’s comment about Manon’s hiatus, stating, “Five members are fine,” and “The show must go on, KATSEYE is bigger than a single member.”
Furthermore, he intervened in a fan debate comparing the dancing skills of Daniela and BLACKPINK’s Lisa, stating, “Daniela is much better trained. Moreover, being Latina gives her many advantages over Asian dancers,” further fueling allegations of racial bias.
The controversy isn’t limited to family comments; past statements by fellow members have resurfaced, drawing further attention.
In an October 2024 episode of MBC Every1’s ‘Weekly Idol,’ Megan laughed when asked to choose a food suitable for Yoon Chae and mentioned “banana.”
When a confused Yoon Chae asked “Why?”, Megan explained, “People who are clumsy trip over banana peels,” and added, “Plus, she eats a banana every morning.” However, since ‘banana’ is also a derogatory term referring to Asians (“yellow on the outside, white on the inside”), this sparked accusations of racism against Megan.
Criticism intensified given Megan’s own mixed Asian heritage—she was born to a Swedish-American father and a Chinese-Singaporean mother.
While some argue there is no issue as Megan and Yoon Chae remain on good terms, many netizens criticized Megan, leaving comments such as, “Doesn’t she consider her own Asian roots?”, “Why are international fans silent on these issues?”, and “Yoon Chae seems pitiable.”
Meanwhile, KATSEYE has been nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 68th Grammy Awards.
