KATSEYE's Manon Prompts Debate Over Resurfaced '9 to 5' Interview Comment

A resurfaced interview featuring Manon Bannerman, a member of global girl group KATSEYE, is stirring debate online after fans revisited her past comments about work, creativity, and the idea of a "9 to 5" job.

The discussion has grown larger as fans also connect it to the group's recent American Music Awards appearance and speech.

According to Koreaboo, in the interview clip, Manon spoke about her early interest in music and creativity, explaining that she never saw herself working a traditional job.

"I always knew from a very young age I wanted to be a creative. I never saw myself doing a 9 to 5," she said.

She described spending her time learning piano, songwriting, and making music at home for fun before realizing it could become a career. She added that growing up in Switzerland made a music career feel unlikely, saying it was not a common path for people around her. Despite that, she said she was grateful her dream worked out and led her to where she is today.

However, the "9 to 5" comment quickly became the center of online debate after it resurfaced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Some users criticized the phrasing, interpreting it as dismissive toward traditional working-class jobs. Others compared the comment to KATSEYE's demanding rehearsal and training schedules, which require long hours of preparation and performance.

Fans Divided Over Manon's Old Comments

Some fans also linked the discussion to Manon's past absences from group activities, suggesting the interview revealed inconsistencies. Others strongly defended her, saying the clip was taken out of context and that she was simply describing her personal creative journey, not criticizing regular jobs or hard work.

The debate grew as fans also revisited KATSEYE's recent American Music Awards moment, where the group made a strong debut.

During the event, KATSEYE—made up of Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Daniela Avanzini, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae—performed their song "Pinky Up" and received awards in every category they were nominated for, Cosmopolitan reported.

In their acceptance speech, Megan Skiendiel thanked fans, saying, "Thank you to the EYEKONS. We're so grateful for every single one of you." The group also thanked their team and gave a shoutout to BTS, but some viewers noticed that Manon was not mentioned during the speech.