On September 7, 2025, KATSEYE made their first appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York, walking the red carpet in gothic-inspired outfits paired with towering shoes. During a red-carpet chat, the members were asked to send a message “to the gays.”Several members responded with, “We love the gays,” while netizens noticed Yoonchae stayed quiet. Her lack of response quickly stirred online backlash, with some accusing her of harboring "homophobic" views. The discussion gained traction even though KATSEYE already includes two openly queer members, Lara and Megan.However, supporters of Yoonchae argued that she may not have caught the question or misread it in the moment. Many cited language gaps and cultural context as possible reasons, with one X user commenting:"Leave this girl alone. People always be looking for a reason to hate."Alexa, play 'Dirty Work' by Aespa @SammijoKnowsLINKLeave this girl alone. People always be looking for a reason to hate.Others pointed out that English is not her first language, so it may have taken her some time to fully understand the question.ryuu 🫐 @ryuuderLINKpeople calling yoonchae homophobic but you have to understand that she’s still learning english and doesn’t understand accents and lingo. without the subtitles I would’ve interpreted it as “what’s your message to the gaze?” if someone calls her homophobic again istg these peopleTiny⁹ @dahyunslovelineLINKI feel like yall forget English isn’t yoonchae’s first language😭like she prolly do gaf but is just trynna understand everythingBritain| katseye i love you @BadazzbritainLINKChill on yoonchip yall she might not have understood the question. English isn’t her first languageMeanwhile, some netizens suggested that she was simply being "nonchalant."૮₍´˶• . • ⑅ ₎ა @oldmanfkerLINKguys wait Yoonchae isn’t homophobic just nonchalant pls🍓 Mari 🩷✨ @LyoonhanLINKThe way quotes are acting you might think yoonchae did some homophobic thing but she's just literally on her nonchalant state the whole time. She even smiled.Megan’s Book @RandomStuffx_xLINKYoonchae is just nonchalant. The fact it used to be a joke by Eyekons then dumba*ses in the quotes turned it to performative outrage. Y’all throw the term homophobia around like it has no meaning. Like Megan & Lara are close friends with Yoonchae and doesnt make homophobic jokesKATSEYE takes home first VMA award since debutKATSEYE's first VMA win for Touch (Image via Instagram/@katseyeworld)KATSEYE stamped their presence at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, earning their first Moon Person. The sextet - Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung - clinched the Push Performance of the Year award for Touch, a track from their debut EP Soft Is Strong (SIS), released in 2024.The group was also in the running for Best Group, sharing the category with Coldplay, BLACKPINK, SEVENTEEN, Imagine Dragons, Jonas Brothers, Stray Kids, The Marías, and more. Tears and hugs followed before they accepted the award on stage. Thanking their fanbase, EYEKONS, they reflected on their journey from Netflix’s Pop Star Academy to the VMAs.Lara Raj told the crowd, “We’ve been through a lot together, so having this moment feels so rewarding.” Concluding their speech, Raj and Sophia added short messages in Tamil and Filipino.Earlier, the band opened the preshow with Gnarly, a track from their latest EP, Beautiful Chaos, released in June. They ditched the carpet look for black bustiers and shorts styled with metallic belts and feather trims. Later in the night, they returned with Gabriela from the same album. The performance featured another wardrobe switch, this time into mismatched scarlet, hot pink, and sky-blue tops.On August 3, 2025, the global girl group drew an estimated crowd of 85,000 attendees, setting a new milestone for the largest midday turnout in Lollapalooza’s history. Their 40-minute showcase featured the stage premieres of several new tracks, including Gameboy, Gabriela, Mean Girls, and M.I.A. They also delivered fan-favorite tracks like Debut, Tonight I Might, My Way, Touch, and Gnarly.