KATSEYE Rise: Global Girl Group Gains Global Attention With Debut and Netflix Series

Global girl group KATSEYE has begun its meteoric rise. After recently releasing their first mini album, “my sister” Not only did the group see a sharp rise on various music charts, they also achieved worldwide success with their Netflix documentary “Pop Star Academy: Katsi.”

Released on the 21st of this month, “Pop Star Academy” is an eight-part documentary covering the entire planning process of KATSEYE. The multinational band, which was created in collaboration between HYBE (the company behind BTS) and Geffen Records of Universal Music Group (UMG) in the United States, has gained significant attention in the global pop market since its inception.

Of particular note is the group's journey, in which members from different countries, including South Korea, the United States, and Switzerland, underwent K-pop's training system and debuted in the United States, the “home of pop.” This was hailed as a “new blueprint for K-pop's globalization,” and the Netflix documentary attracted significant attention from major international media outlets.

TIME magazine analyzed the program “Pop Star Academy,” which provides insight into the decision-making process at the world’s largest pop music company, beyond just introducing KATSEYE. It also highlighted how the “trainee system,” which distinguishes Korean pop stars from Western artists, is central to the narrative, demonstrating the level of performance and potential required for stardom.

The Hollywood Reporter, a prominent American cultural outlet, noted that the documentary shows KATSEYE's clear vision of its “diversity,” focusing on the members' process of gaining musical inspiration and more.

Among fans, there is a lot of sympathy not only for the younger members who left their families to follow their debut wholeheartedly but also for the “adults” who supported them. Notable examples include a scene where T&D director Missy Paramo expressed her genuine desire to have a daughter after witnessing the girls’ remarkable growth, and an episode where casting director Michelle discovered member Manon on social media and instinctively recognized her as a star.

The scenes also sparked a huge discussion on the global social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), attracting widespread attention from K-pop fans.