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KATSEYE, the rising multinational girl group under HYBE and Geffen Records, has found itself at the center of a growing controversy. The members were spotted spending the day at Disneyland with Scooter Braun. On June 1, 2025, Braun shared an Instagram story showing him and the six members enjoying the park, captioning the post with:
“Today was a great day.”
What seemed like a casual off-schedule outing quickly escalated into an online firestorm. Scooter Braun, now CEO of HYBE America, has long been a polarizing figure due to his outspoken support for Zionism. Earlier this month, he allegedly acknowledged his inclusion in a social media list of “Zionist musicians." His statement reignited discussions surrounding his political alignment.
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This context made KATSEYE’s public association with Braun all the more controversial. The backlash was swift. Many fans who previously praised the group for showing support for humanitarian causes were now expressing deep disappointment. An X user, @tinspoiler, wrote,
"for a group who loves to present themselves as woke… this is disappointing."
Posts across X (formerly Twitter) called the group out for hypocrisy. Some users accused them of undermining their image, suggesting they “pick a side." They asked the group not to present themselves as progressive while affiliating with figures linked to controversial political ideologies.
"w-what?! I thought their safe but since they're from hybe, expected ig," an X user wrote.
"daniela’s family getting exposed for being trumpies and now katseye hanging out with scooter braun… your five minutes is up kats eye," another one said .
"not katseye hanging out with scooter braun while following pro-palestine pages. you can’t claim solidarity while cozying up to oppressors. pick a side — palestine or genocide???," a netizen remarked.
"seriously it just gets worse," a user added.
Fuel was added to the fire as the Disneyland incident followed another debate involving member Daniela. Earlier this week, netizens discovered that her mother followed Donald Trump’s personal Instagram account. Many international K-pop fans viewed this as a sign of political support.
The speculation went viral, drawing mixed reactions online. However, Daniela’s mother later addressed the situation in a statement. She clarified that she had followed the account after seeing a touching post about the Pope and insisted that it had nothing to do with politics. Many fans defended Daniela, stating that the members should not be held accountable for either Braun's or any parent’s beliefs.
"Being around SB doesn't mean they suddenly don't believe in the causes they support. K-pop fans aren't really trying to see things reasonably, they are just looking for reasons to hate the girls. Is this how the brains of aespa stans works?," a fan commented.
"Do yall realize that most people don’t share their parent’s political beliefs," a user remarked.
"How does her mom's opinion reflect on her, Y'all want that Kats eye hate train so bad leave Daniela alone," a fan added.
More about KATSEYE's rise, latest music, and upcoming plans
KATSEYE debuted in June 2024 after forming through the reality show The Debut: Dream Academy. The six-member lineup includes Manon (Switzerland), Sophia (Philippines), Daniela, Lara, Megan (USA), and Yoonchae (South Korea). This positioned the group as a diverse and internationally inclusive act.
They quickly made waves with their debut single, Debut, followed by the energetic track Touch. Their latest single, Gnarly, dropped on April 30, 2025. Produced by HYBE’s Bang Si-hyuk and more, the song garnered reactions for its experimental style.
Their latest performances at major stages like Wango Tango 2025 also solidified their growing influence.
Now gearing up for the release of their second EP, Beautiful Chaos, in June 2025, KATSEYE faces an important moment. As they move forward, the group and HYBE may need to address ongoing concerns to maintain their reputation and global fan base.
Scooter Braun is currently connected to KATSEYE as the CEO of HYBE America, the label under which the group is managed.
