Is KATSEYE K-pop or Not? Inside HYBE's Global Pop Group

KATSEYE is being positioned as one of the next big global girl groups, with comparisons to K-pop giants like BTS and BLACKPINK. But there’s something different about the group that raises a bigger question about where K-pop ends and global pop begins.

Created through HYBE and Geffen Records' global girl group project, KATSEYE was built around the K-pop trainee system, combining intensive training, precise choreography, polished visuals and a highly coordinated idol-style approach. But unlike a traditional K-pop group, KATSEYE has a distinctly multicultural lineup, with members from different countries and only one Korean member.

Their music also leans heavily into English rather than Korean, reflecting the group's goal of reaching a global pop audience from the beginning. That has led to an ongoing conversation around KATSEYE's identity, with fans and industry observers debating whether the group should be considered K-pop, global pop or something in between.

In this video, we look at KATSEYE's formation, HYBE's training system, the group's international identity, its music and the reasons behind the growing BTS and BLACKPINK comparisons.