HYBE’s American-Localized Girl Group KATSEYE Reaches No. 92 on Billboard Hot 100 with Single “Gnarly”

The six-member multinational girl group KATSEYE, under HYBE, has established a strong presence in the U.S. market. Their single “Gnarly” achieved success by entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart at position 92 for the issue dated May 17. KATSEYE is an American-localized group selected through a survival audition show hosted by HYBE in the United States last June. Based in Los Angeles, they carry out activities simultaneously in Korea and abroad. The chart entry of “Gnarly,” released ahead of their upcoming EP, suggests potential within the U.S. popular music industry. However, the actual structure of their localization strategy involves complex factors. Out of the six KATSEYE members, four hold U.S. citizenship, and three were born and raised in the United States. The remaining members grew up in Switzerland and the Philippines, including one Korean member who lived in Korea before participating in the audition. This multinational composition appears to reflect the characteristics of K-pop fandoms in North America. K-pop fandoms in North America are known to be centered around Asian, Black, Hispanic, and other minority groups, and it is interpreted that KATSEYE intentionally adopted a lineup friendly toward such diversity and pluralism. The United States differs from Japan in that it lies outside the K-pop system. Japan already has a developed idol industry, regular fan interaction events, and a well-established merchandise sales infrastructure, making it easier for groups composed of local members to gain entry. In contrast, the U.S. lacks an infrastructure for fandom business within its pop music market, and K-pop remains outside the mainstream popular music scene. Issues specific to the K-pop industry—such as the practice of sacrificing personal lives for group activities, the human rights of underage Trainees, excessive training and working hours, and an emphasis on efficiency—are continuously criticized in the West as the “dark side of K-pop.” In the case of JYP’s American-localized group VCHA, one American member filed a contract termination lawsuit and left the group due to an abusive working environment that led to staff misconduct, overwork, and eating disorders. It is reported that one of KATSEYE’s members also suffered severe shock from the harshness of K-pop training. KATSEYE’s success undoubtedly marks a new chapter in K-pop industry history. Yet it also represents an opportunity in which external values and standards could disrupt the industry’s structural inertia when they come into contact with the K-pop system. Whether the industry should focus solely on quantitative growth or use this as a stage for qualitative transformation remains a challenge for the sector.