Katseye group in collaboration with Gap for the “Better in Denim” campaign (photo courtesy of Gap Inc.) .

Girl group Katseye’s message of female empowerment is judged based on what empowerment truly means to their audience of young, impressionable teenage girls. Their impact on societal and cultural norms reveals the future of female stars and celebrities in the entertainment industry, writes Aashi Shinde.

If you’ve been on social media the past year, you’ve likely glimpsed many of the fleeting trends sweeping TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. No matter which poison you picked, you’ve probably come across dancing and singing trends created by the iconic girl group: Katseye. Debuting in 2024, they raced up the charts by dazzling millions of teens with catchy songs like “Gnarly” and “Gabriela.” In 2025, they reached their peak with a collaboration with Gap’s “Better in Denim” ad, reviving Gap’s sales. When all else fails, the sheer power of vocal talent and cute skirts have your back.

For a more disinterested audience, K-pop groups in the industry are dime-a-dozen. We have already seen way too many one-hit-wonders, sentenced to a future of obscurity and pastel tabloid prints. So, why is Katseye so intriguing? How are they able to stand out amidst the chaos?

Many factors play in their appeal, but it all ties into one core message: female empowerment. The diversity of the group, containing successful and talented South Asian, Filipino, and Latina members, serves as inspiration for female fans across different ethnicities. Their hard work and determination in the Netflix survival show, Dream Academy, highlight their perseverance. 

Katseye is sending an important message with their bold music. Their sheer presence carries the message: no matter your gender or cultural background, you too can be a star. We’re doing this for you, for us, they say.

Ysolt Usigan, a mom vlogger, is fully supportive of her nine-year-old’s obsession with Katseye, “…beneath [Katseye’s songs and dances], there’s a core of empowerment, self-acceptance, and diversity. Watching my little girl…lash onto a chorus, learn a move, and say ‘I want to be bold like that’ feels like a small win.”

As a girl myself, I should feel impressed as well. The subliminal message perpetrated by beauty and fashion influencers that a woman’s self worth is clipped to her skin leads many teenage girls into developing body dysphoria and eating disorders caused by unattainable beauty standards. Katseye’s push of bodily agency and self-acceptance should feel like a breath of fresh air. I have no doubt that they intend to do good and have, but I’m worried that these successes are blinding people to the bigger picture. We shouldn’t be willing to take half-hearted empowerment as real change.

(L-r): Yoonchae, Megan, Daniela, Sophia, Manon and Lara Raj of Katseye, perform at the 68th Grammy Awards, Feb. 01, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The members of Katseye have little autonomy, especially in how they’re presented to the world. Theur air-tight contracts with HYBE x Geffen signs away most of their agency. They are no different from K-pop groups criticized for the lack of agency female stars get. Every aspect of them, from their clothes to the choreography, are dictated by producers and directors, most of whom are men.

Here lies the core issue; can we truly say the women of Katseye are being empowered if their presentation is not a decision made for themselves? Can we say they are pushing ideas of female empowerment and acceptance if this image has been curated by their largely male-dominated record label?

Take Katseye’s physical characteristics, for example. The women are molded and shaped to be as attractive as possible, featuring the same thin, manicured body type limiting body diversity. To me, this clearly indicates that despite what ideas of female empowerment HYBE x Geffen is trying to push with Katseye, they aren’t that different than their K-pop predecessors. Their bodies, outfits, and overall image are curated to satisfy the patriarchal view of women, not break the boundaries of what it means to be a woman in the entertainment industry.

But does this really matter? In the grand scheme of things, Katseye is one Pop group among a plethora of celebrities perpetuating the same ideals and standards.

For me, it’s a firm yes. Rewinding decades, there were many celebrities and singers that not only dared to break the mold of societal expectations but brought upon real societal change. Madonna was known for her openly feminist songs that challenged the conservative 80s culture that kept women from freely expressing themselves. Her work inspired the next generation to construct feminist and LGBTQ+ movements.

Celebrities are an influence on society, especially young, impressionable female fans. It is all the more important to push for empowerment, to challenge societal norms instead of reinforcing them, to encourage change that uplifts the youth of tomorrow for years to come.