HYBE and Universal Music Group’s joint venture label, Gepen Records, have officially announced the debut date for the global girl group ‘KATSEYE.’

According to HYBE, KATSEYE’s first single will drop on the 28th at midnight (Eastern Time, USA). Fans can also look forward to their second single in July and an EP release in August.

KATSEYE was formed through the audition program ‘The Debut: Dream Academy,’ which aired from September to November last year. The group comprises six elite members selected from a pool of 6,000 applicants: Daniela (USA), Lala (USA), Manon (Switzerland), Megan (USA), Sofia (Philippines), and Yoonchae (South Korea).

KATSEYE is poised to make their debut in the mainstream pop market in the United States, marking them as the first girl group from HYBE and Gepen Records to promote locally. During a rigorous 90-day audition process, the members were evaluated on dance skills, vocal abilities, teamwork, concept adaptation, and artistic flair.

Their global fan base is already substantial. During the broadcast of ‘The Debut: Dream Academy,’ their community on the superfan platform Weverse saw active participation from fans across 220 countries and regions. Currently, KATSEYE’s fan community boasts nearly 300,000 members.

Industry insiders are closely watching their potential to further globalize the K-pop system. Earlier this year, Grammy.com featured them in the list of ‘11 Rookie K-Pop Acts To Know In 2024.’

Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE, expressed excitement during the ‘Dream Academy’ live finale, hoping that KATSEYE will become the voice of a new era, inspiring young people worldwide with the message that dreams can indeed come true.

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G-Dragon has sparked a wave of speculation with a cryptic social media post.

On March 20, G-Dragon’s secondary Instagram account shared a screenshot from MBC’s Infinite Challenge, featuring Haha shouting, “Wake up. In this harsh world.” The timing of the post quickly caught attention, as many believe he was subtly addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun.

Fans are speculating that G-Dragon might be throwing shade at Kim Soo Hyun, a fellow 88s member, who recently faced backlash after Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) accused him of dating the late Kim Sae Ron while she was still a minor.

Kim Soo Hyun, who had been appearing on Good Day alongside G-Dragon, Jung Hae In, Im Si Wan, and Hwang Kwang Hee, denied the allegations, stating that he and Kim Sae Ron only started dating after she became an adult.

However, Gaseyeon kept fueling the scandal by releasing a controversial photo of a man, allegedly Kim Soo Hyun, doing dishes without wearing pants.

With the controversy growing, many demanded Kim Soo Hyun be removed from the show, and ultimately, the episode scheduled to air on March 23 was canceled.

Now, G-Dragon’s post has fans wondering—was it just a random upload, or is he trying to send a message to Kim Soo Hyun?

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