Manon has unexpectedly become the center of controversy after appearing in KATSEYE’s latest photoshoot, despite currently being on hiatus leaving fans increasingly frustrated.
The issue began when Nylon Magazine released a new feature on KATSEYE on April 7 (KST), accompanied by a pictorial showcasing all six members styled around the concept of their upcoming track “Pinky Up.”
KATSEYE for Nylon in photoshoot for their upcoming release Pinky Up. Manon is featured and styled for this era. It is solid confirmation she was cut.
The interview is from a week before the hiatus announcement dropped and Nylon says there were zero signs from the members. pic.twitter.com/xb6WzZs2JR
— KATSEYE News (@NewsKatseye) April 7, 2026
The publication clarified that both the interview and photoshoot were completed about a week before Manon’s hiatus was officially announced.
Still, the timing raised eyebrows. Up until now, Manon has been completely absent from all promotional content related to “Pinky Up,” including teasers. Her sudden inclusion in the pictorial therefore shocked fans and triggered widespread speculation about the group’s actual comeback situation.
now im beginning to think that manon found out she was cut from the mv (teasers) at the same time that we were, hence her removing the group name from her bio after :/ even now the group’s official accs refuse to tag her in their posts like… what the hell happened in that week! https://t.co/UpP0wISayi
— ★ gecqua fans nyc (@sarpongz) April 7, 2026
so it’s very likely that manon found out in real time like the rest of us that she was cut entirely from the music video and that’s what lead to her removing katseye from her bio… oh all hell would be raised cause what https://t.co/XJz0FrtcrG
— jolt (@meltborne) April 7, 2026
Seeing that Manon was originally part of the concept just confirms that it was all reshot or carefully edited to remove her. Hxg are willing to spend resources to purposely exclude a member but that’s the environment yall want her back in?
— Uzezi (@shekuaep) April 7, 2026
Some fans believe the photoshoot confirms that Manon has been deliberately excluded from the current promotional cycle. A number of netizens even speculated that she may have learned about her absence at the same time as the public pointing to her recent removal of KATSEYE from her Instagram bio as a possible reaction.
so shes either COMPLETELY CUT from the video or she filmed it and is cut from the teasers and shes basically being used as pr from hxg .. https://t.co/mlfhVb8Ynw
— bella ♡🫧 (@jbieberrswaggg) April 7, 2026
Another theory circulating among fans concerns the upcoming music video. Some suspect that Manon may still appear in the “Pinky Up” MV, raising concerns that HYBE could be intentionally withholding content featuring her. According to this view, the agency might be leveraging her hiatus to build anticipation and create buzz for a dramatic return.
Regardless of which theory holds true, the ongoing lack of clear communication has left fans feeling drained. Many argue that the uncertainty surrounding Manon’s status is not only frustrating but is also beginning to negatively affect KATSEYE’s overall public image.
Sources: Koreaboo
Related Articles