KATSEYE Fans Think That Manon’s "Hiatus" From the Group May Be Permanent

KATSEYE nabbed a bunch of fans as viewers watched the group's formation in the reality musical performer competition show The Debut: Dream Academy. Their first track, "Debut," was released in June of 2024, and the six-woman group blends Western-style pop songs with the added work ethic of K-pop-style dance routines.

Recently, one of the band's members, Manon Bannerman, has taken a hiatus from the band. Which has left fans wondering: did she get kicked out?

Katseye's record label, HYBE x Geffen, announced on February 20 that Manon is currently stepping away from the group. The statement reads:

"Hello,

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 notice continued:

"We fully support this decision. KATSEYE remains committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us. The group will continue scheduled activities during this time, and we look forward to being together again when the time is right.

Thank you to our EYEKONS for your continued love, patience, and understanding."

This has led to speculation into the reason as to what happened behind the scenes, and rumors are already buzzing. An interview Manon had with The Cut intimates that it might have to do with Manon's perceived work ethic when it comes to the group.

According to Manon, who grew up in Switzerland, she isn't accustomed to putting in the amount of work that Americans are known for.

"America has a very different culture when it comes to work-life balance. You guys are all about grind and hustle. In Switzerland, if you're sick, you take a day off. No one's going to expect you to work," she said in a discussion with the outlet.

Furthermore, The Tab penned that connections between Manon's perceived lack of work ethic could be tied to her race. The website highlighted that Manon liked a KATSEYE fan post, which suggested that her hiatus from the group was one steeped in discrimination due to the color of her skin.

"Another Black girl subjected to racism and label mistreatment yet again," a caption in the post read. In a separate article published by The Cut, Manon did say that she wasn't a fan of how she was portrayed on Netflix's Pop Star Academy, which showed her missing from group rehearsals on several occasions.

"Being called lazy, especially as a Black girl, is not fair. Now I feel like I always need to put in extra work to prove something, even though I really don't," Manon said in response to her not showing up for rehearsals that other members of the group attended.

Fans who watched the show, however, discussed that they felt as if Manon was being unfairly treated. Some even pointed out that, despite claims to the contrary, Manon seemed involved in practice sessions and was shown taking notes and appeared invested in learning choreography routines.

But there were others who pointed out that Manon herself had admitted to missing practices, even when she wasn't sick or feeling unwell, as this X user mentioned here.

As of this writing, Katseye has 8 concerts across five separate countries scheduled for 2026. There's been no word yet on whether or not Manon will be a part of these performances or if her hiatus will be permanent.