The six KATSEYE members’s nationality is diverse and were chosen through one of the most public group formations in K-pop history.
They debuted in 2024 after being picked through The Debut: Dream Academy, a Netflix competition run jointly by HYBE and Geffen Records. Over 120,000 people applied. Six made it. The group is based in Los Angeles.
Below you’ll find a profile of each member, how the formation actually worked, and a straight answer on where things stand with Manon Bannerman right now.
Meet the KATSEYE Members
KATSEYE has six founding members: Sophia Laforteza, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Yoonchae Jeung, and Manon Bannerman. Five are currently active. Manon has been on hiatus since early 2026.
Before you read the profiles, one thing to know: KATSEYE doesn’t use the formal positions system you’ll find in most K-pop groups. No main vocalist, main dancer, or visual. That’s a deliberate choice, and it shapes how each member fits into the group.
Sophia Laforteza
Sophia Laforteza is Filipino, from Manila, and serves as KATSEYE’s bandleader, the only official role in the group.
She came into the competition with a strong dance background. What set her apart wasn’t flash. It was composure under pressure, the kind that keeps a group steady when things get hard.
I’ve watched a lot of groups navigate difficult moments, and the leader who actually holds things together is rarely the loudest person in the room. Sophia is that kind of leader.
When Manon went on hiatus, Sophia was the one who spoke about it. That’s not a small thing.
Daniela Avanzini
Daniela Avanzini is Venezuelan-Cuban American, from Atlanta, Georgia. Her Latin heritage shows up directly in how she moves on stage.
She’s one of the most expressive performers in the group. You can see it in live sets, she doesn’t hold back. She contributed to the WILD EP and has been active since debut.
If you’re trying to tell the members apart in a performance, Daniela is usually the one who looks like she’s having the most fun. That’s not accidental; it’s her actual energy.
Lara Raj
Lara Raj is Indian American, from Los Angeles. She has strong vocals and a calm, grounded energy that balances the more theatrical performers around her.
Growing up in LA meant she wasn’t adjusting to a new city while training. I think that shows. She comes across as settled in a way most of the others aren’t, even under pressure.
Her vocal control is easy to miss when there’s a lot happening on stage. But it’s what keeps the sound together, and once you listen for it, it’s hard to unhear.
Megan Skiendiel
Megan Skiendiel is American, from Honolulu, Hawaii. Her Pacific Islander roots give her a perspective that’s distinct from the other American members in the group.
During the Latin America tour, she talked openly about performing through real physical strain, not enough sleep, performing injured, feeling close to passing out on stage. That kind of honesty is rare in this industry.
If you want to know what the actual cost of touring in a group like this looks like, Megan has said it plainly. Most don’t.
Yoonchae Jeung
Yoonchae Jeung is South Korean and goes by Yoonchae professionally. She’s the only Korean member in the group.
That matters more than it might look. HYBE built KATSEYE to bridge K-pop training and Western pop markets. Yoonchae is the direct line to HYBE’s training tradition, the precision and discipline that comes from years inside that system.
She’s not just one member of six. She’s why the group’s performance standard reads as K-pop and not just pop. I think people underestimate how much that one detail shapes the whole thing.
How Was KATSEYE Formed?
KATSEYE was formed through The Debut: Dream Academy, a Netflix survival competition run jointly by HYBE and Geffen Records. Over 120,000 people applied worldwide. The group debuted in 2024.
Most K-pop groups form through private trainee programs. Trainees spend years inside a label, out of public view. The audience only sees the finished product at debut.
KATSEYE did the opposite. The selection process was the content. The show ran on Netflix while the competition was live. By the time the six members debuted, millions of viewers had already watched them get chosen.
That wasn’t accidental. HYBE and Geffen Records built it that way on purpose. The goal was a K-pop-trained group that could reach Western pop markets, and the Netflix show was the way to build an audience before a single record dropped.
The debut was always the end point. The show and the group were the same project from the start.
I’ve followed a lot of group formation stories. This one is genuinely different. The transparency was commercial, not charitable, but it means you know more about how these six were chosen than you’ll ever know about most idol groups.
What Is Happening with Manon Bannerman?
As of mid-2026, Manon Bannerman is on hiatus from KATSEYE. Her membership status is officially unresolved.
Manon is Swiss-Ghanaian, from Lucerne, Switzerland. She was one of the most distinctive members in the competition, and one of the most talked-about since her absence started.
The clearest signal of where things stand comes from Rostr, a music industry platform labels use to manage artist profiles. Her listing changed from active member to past member. Only the label can make that change; fans can’t touch it. That’s why it carries weight even with no public announcement from HYBE or Geffen Records.
On June 11, 2026, Sophia spoke about Manon directly in an NPR interview. She confirmed Manon is still on hiatus with no return timeline. She said the group keeps supporting Manon’s well-being, and passed on a message straight from Manon: she loves the fans.
That was the most direct statement from inside the group since the hiatus began. If you’ve been following this situation, that interview is the most recent confirmed information there is.
The five active members have kept going. They completed a Latin America tour, released the WILD EP, and continued promotions. The group works. What happens with Manon is still open.
Here’s where the confirmed facts end and the unanswered questions begin:
- Confirmed: Manon has been on hiatus since early 2026. Her Rostr profile lists her as a past member. Sophia confirmed in June 2026 that the hiatus continues, with no return date.
- Not confirmed: Whether she has permanently left. Neither HYBE nor Geffen Records has made a formal departure announcement.
If HYBE puts out a formal statement, this section will need updating. Until then, unresolved is the honest answer.
Wrapping Up
The six founding KATSEYE members represent six countries and one clear idea: a K-pop-trained group built to compete in Western pop markets. Sophia leads. Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae are active. Manon is on hiatus, with her status unresolved as of mid-2026.
The formation through The Debut: Dream Academy was public by design. The HYBE and Geffen Records partnership had a defined goal, and the six who came out of 120,000 applications carry that origin in everything they do.
Who they are and how they got here is settled. What happens with Manon is the one part still waiting for an answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is KATSEYE now a 5-member group?
KATSEYE launched as a six-member group and has never officially announced a lineup change. Manon Bannerman has been on hiatus since early 2026. Her profile on Rostr, the music industry platform, now lists her as a past member, a change only the label can make. As of mid-2026, no formal departure has been confirmed by HYBE or Geffen Records.
What are the nationalities of the KATSEYE members?
Sophia Laforteza is Filipino, Daniela Avanzini is Venezuelan-Cuban American, Lara Raj is Indian American, Megan Skiendiel is American from Honolulu, Hawaii, and Yoonchae Jeung is South Korean. Manon Bannerman is Swiss-Ghanaian. The multinational lineup was intentional; HYBE and Geffen Records built the group to reach both K-pop and Western pop markets.
Who is the leader of KATSEYE?
Sophia Laforteza is KATSEYE’s bandleader, the only official role in the group. Unlike most K-pop groups, KATSEYE has no formal positions system, so there’s no main vocalist, main dancer, or visual. That gives the group flexibility and reflects its hybrid K-pop and Western pop identity.
How did KATSEYE get formed?
KATSEYE was formed through The Debut: Dream Academy, a Netflix survival competition run jointly by HYBE and Geffen Records. Over 120,000 people applied worldwide. The six members who made it through debuted together in 2024, with the group based in Los Angeles.
