HYBE America's rookie girl group KATSEYE finds itself in a heated controversy. The teaser for their upcoming track Gnarly has drawn comparisons to aespa's Drama, sparking plagiarism accusations from some K-pop fans. Although the initial claims were made by a BLACKPINK fan, the discussion quickly gained traction and evolved into a major online debate.
What started as a conversation about musical similarities¡ªand visual parallels like black outfits and a red carpet¡ªescalated into something far more troubling: racist attacks directed at KATSEYE member Lara, who is of Indian origin.
Lara recently engaged with fans on Weverse, asking for song cover suggestions. When she mentioned Drama by aespa, many speculated it was a subtle nod to the plagiarism chatter. The post went viral after a screenshot was shared in a now-deleted tweet, prompting a wide range of reactions.
It's important to note that it remains unclear whether Lara intentionally referenced the controversy. While some netizens found the mention of Drama inappropriate and accused her of mockery, others took it much further, targeting her with racist and personal insults.
Several fans pointed out the double standards in K-pop, suggesting that if idols from groups like aespa, NewJeans, or BLACKPINK had made a similar comment, the reaction would have been different.
As for the three groups¡ªaespa has faced its own plagiarism controversies, NewJeans is currently entangled in a legal dispute with their agency ADOR, and BLACKPINK has recently made headlines after three of its members allegedly used the N-word, with the group's official Spotify account also being hacked and labeled with racial slurs.
In contrast, many defended Lara, citing her known admiration for aespa. Some argued that if she was referencing the drama, it was likely aimed at calling out toxic fan behavior¡ªnot the group itself. Others applauded her for possibly standing her ground, pointing out how idols are often encouraged to speak out but are vilified when they do.?
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The global girl group KATSEYE has officially announced their comeback with the single Gnarly, set to drop on April 30. The announcement came via Instagram, where they shared eye-catching teaser videos that quickly drew attention.?
Members Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae rose to fame through the survival show The Debut: Dream Academy and made their official debut under HYBE in June 2024. They first made waves with their hit track Touch, which sparked a viral dance trend on TikTok.
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