KATSEYE’s Manon Has Been Gone for Four Months. The Group Just Broke Their Silence.
It’s been four months since Manon Bannerman stepped away from KATSEYE, and the remaining members finally have something to say about it.
In a new interview with Allure, member Sophia Laforteza confirmed that Manon is still on hiatus, and tried to set expectations for fans who are getting impatient.
“Because we did announce that it is about her well-being, it’s not our place or anybody else’s place to rush her. She really deserves that and the door is always open.”
The comments ignited a fresh wave of fan speculation, which is exactly what the girls were hoping to avoid.
How we got here
HYBE x Geffen announced Manon’s temporary hiatus on February 20, 2026, saying she was stepping away from group activities “to focus on her health and wellbeing.” No further details were shared.
In April, Manon herself put out a statement: “HxG and I are having positive conversations and I feel supported. I’m happy and I’m healthy.”
That was the last direct word from her. The group has continued performing and promoting as five members while still referring to KATSEYE as a six-member group.
What Sophia actually said
In the same Allure interview, Sophia didn’t shy away from how hard it’s been.
“It’s hard to keep going with something that was built with all six girls. We really went through a lot. I can confirm that she is still on hiatus, and we want the fans to know that Manon loves you all so much.”
She also warned fans and media to stop making “assumptions” about when, or whether, Manon will return. That phrasing landed differently with different corners of the fandom.
Fans are divided
The update got a split reaction, which is pretty standard for anything KATSEYE-related these days.
On one side:
“Yea manon ain’t coming back”, @user on X
“Now I need Manon to confirm this herself.”, @user on X
On the other:
“In K-pop it happens all the time and people come back stronger than ever. If you don’t know K-pop you don’t know what a hiatus is.”
The frustration makes sense. Four months with no concrete timeline, a new EP dropping in August without her involvement, and a world tour on the books, it’s starting to feel less like a pause and more like a separation that no one’s officially naming.
What’s ahead for the group
KATSEYE’s new EP Wild is set for August, with the Wildworld Tour following shortly after. Manon has not been part of any of the promotional rollout for Wild. The five remaining members have been doing press, rehearsals, and appearances without her.
The group still has six members on paper. Whether that remains true by the time the tour wraps is the question a lot of fans are quietly asking.
For more stories from the world of pop culture, follow our Pop Culture section. And for another story about a fan base reading between the lines, check out the Harry Potter series backlash.
