Are KATSEYE “Nugus” In K-Pop? — Senior Idols’ Reaction To The Group Sparks Massive Reactions

Are they really popular among the general population?

HYBE’s global girl group KATSEYE has been taking the internet by storm in the past few months with their back-to-back hit songs and viral moments. Though the group debuted well over a year ago, 2025 has so far been their most successfully year, with “Gnarly” catapulting them into mainstream fame.

Members of KATSEYE | @katseyeworld/X

Despite being a global girl group, KATSEYE are also well acquainted in the K-Pop industry since they trained under HYBE for a long time and promote on Korean music shows.

However, a recent video clip featuring iconic K-Pop idols reacting to the group has put their prominence in the industry into question. In the clip, SHINee member Key is seen bringing up KATSEYE while in a conversation with BTOB’s Changsub and Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon. Both the idols responded to Key, stating that they had no idea who KATSEYE were. It wasn’t until Key mentioned that they were a HYBE girl group that Hyoyeon realized who he was talking about.

Key: KATSEYE songs are really short.

Changsub: What’s KATSEYE?

Changsub: Is it your song? Is it Hyoyeon’s song?

Hyoyeon: I have no idea either. Don’t ask me…

Hyoyeon: Seems like it’s Key’s song.

Key: You know HYBE has a global girl group…

Hyoyeon: Oh I know! But…I should know. I really should. But I can be a little slow, you know?

— The conversation in above video

This hilarious exchange among the three idols has now gone viral on online communities, with netizens asking whether it appropriately reflected KATSEYE’s popularity, or the lack thereof in the Korean industry. And many seemed to agree.

| Instiz

• “They’re a localized group, so it’s understandable not to know them if you’re not really on certain community sites.”
• “If they haven’t encountered them or crossed paths on music shows, it’s possible not to know.”
• “There are probably more people who don’t know about them.”
• “At that time, they probably weren’t as hot as they are now?? Though they were somewhat known through word of mouth, they really blew up recently because of the jeans commercial.”
  — “That video is recent.”

| Instiz

• “Who are they?”
• “It’s because he’s Key that he knows. Most idols, especially 2nd gen idols, don’t know who KATSEYE are… They’re pretty much like the general public.”

What are your thoughts?