Original Option For KATSEYE’s Name Fuels Suspicions That HYBE Wanted To Replace NewJeans

Coincidence or planned?

HYBE debuted the multi-national girl group KATSEYE in 2024. As they prepared for the group’s debut, many names were in the mix for the group’s name. Amongst the options, the two highly considered names were “NEWCRAZY” and “KATSEYE.” This was revealed in the group’s documentary, Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE.

Scene discussing the names. | theqoo

While many would have overlooked the name “NEWCRAZY” previously, a recently revealed part of HYBE’s internal report caused netizens to draw links to the name. The report touched on the social media buzzword “New-I-LE,” which originally referred to NewJeans, IVE and LE SSERAFIM as the 4th generation powerhouses. Later on, HYBE replaced “IVE” with “ILLIT” to create the term “HYBE’s New-ILL-LE.” The report discussed how to oust “New” [NewJeans] from the equation.

Report snippet. | theqoo

As various communities began to use “HYBE’s New-ILL-LE” to refer to NewJeans, ILLIT, and LE SSERAFIM, people began to mention ILLIT more.

Right now, it might be necessary to tie LE SSERAFIM to BLACKPINK, aespa, and IVE into the category of girl groups as million sellers in the first week of sales and separate them from the 4th generation. We were plagued by the term New-ILL-LE for a few days, but we can just throw “New” away and start a whole new thing.

— HYBE Report

Netizens belatedly realized that the name “NEWCRAZY” could have been HYBE’s way of replacing NewJeans.

| theqoo

• Ah, it’s not even funny now… They’re trying to steal what’s not theirs, copy one’s identity and take everything and replace them… I’m really creeped out. I don’t want to deal with them even.
• Wow, this is so pathetic. Because the fans were using “New-I-LE aces” they got obsessed over it and tried to insert themselves.
• F*ck LOL.
• NEWCRAZY LOL.
• I thought KATSEYE was tacky at first, but TF is NEWCRAZY.
• Ah, they succeeded in ousting aespa from “New-I-LE” and then they succeeded in forcing ILLIT into the equation instead of IVE, but they were unable to have their way with NewJeans, so they totally just planned to exclude them like they did with aespa.
• LOL, they’re such a bunch of crazies.

You can read about the original issue below.

Newly Released HYBE Internal Documents Show Plans To “Throw Away NewJeans”