Los Angeles-based girl pop group KATSEYE took “the show must go on” to another level when one of its members performed while recovering from a concussion.
Earlier this month, the band was forced to cancel three consecutive shows of their WildWorld Tour because of Megan Skiendiel’s health issues.
They returned on Tuesday, November 10, with a show at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, where Megan was seen performing wearing sunglasses.
Fans were left furious as footage from the show spread on social media, with many calling out their label, HYBE x Geffen Records, for “inhuman” treatment of the artists.
“Why is she being so overworked? Does that company not have any morals?” one user commented.
KATSEYE canceled three shows due to Megan’s mysterious “illness”
KATSEYE is a six-member global girl group formed through a collaboration between South Korean entertainment company HYBE, known for managing BTS, and American record label Geffen Records, a division of Universal Music Group (UMG).
The group was created using the K-pop trainee and audition system, but with an international lineup and a primarily US-based music-industry structure. The selection process was documented in the Netflix reality competition The Debut: Dream Academy.
On November 17, 2023, the live finale revealed the six women who would make up the new group: Sophia Laforteza (lead singer from the Philippines), Daniela Avanzini (US), Lara Raj (US), Megan Skiendiel (US), Manon Bannerman (Switzerland), and Jeung Yoonchae (South Korea).
They debuted in 2024 and became a global name the next year, with their current WildWorld Tour kicking off on September 1 in Dublin, Ireland.
One week before Tuesday’s Austin show, KATSEYE postponed three back-to-back shows in Detroit, Chicago, and Minneapolis, scheduled on November 3, 5, and 7, citing Megan’s “illness.”
She later told the fans, who call themselves EYEKONS, that she was suffering from a concussion and doing everything possible to recover and return to the stage. She added that she had been “strongly advised by medical professionals that I need to take this time to fully recover, and come back safely.”
Netizens were appalled by the “dystopian” treatment of Megan Skiendiel
The group was back days later, with Megan sporting a big pair of black sunglasses the entire show and sitting mostly motionless on a stool as the three other active members, Daniela, Yoonchae, and Lara, danced by her side and occasionally around her.
EYECONS were left aghast to see her on stage so soon after a concussion, which requires most people complete rest for a few days to a few weeks to recover, according to Cleveland Clinic.
“This is f**king ab*se. Does one of them need to d*e before this stops?” one user commented.
“Someone call a labor lawyer for Megan,” another said. A third wrote, “Their entire career is like a Black Mirror episode.”
“Who’s gonna tell HYBE you’re supposed to stay out of loud areas with a concussion as well…I’m so sick of seeing these girls mistreated on my timeline every day,” a fourth chimed in.
“Fire whoever allowed her on the stage,” a fifth said. A sixth commented, “HYBExGeffen needs to get sued.”
KATSEYE is currently missing two members due to health issues
A few fans asked KATSEYE to cancel the tour, take a break, and return next year when all six members are available. Others demanded that they be disbanded altogether.
“Girl, it’s okay to take a break,” one person wrote. Another said, “They need to put everyone out of their misery and disband the group. PULL THE PLUG!”
In February 2026, Manon Bannerman took a “temporary hiatus” to “focus on her health and well-being.” Then, in August, lead singer Sophia Laforteza also stepped back, citing similar concerns.
Sophia is due to return in January 2027 when KATSEYE starts on the Asian and Australasian legs of the world tour. The tour is scheduled to end next year in March 2027 in New Zealand, after stopping in cities such as Seoul, Manila, Bangkok, and Hong Kong.
HYBE has faced public scrutiny before over its intense training model, high-pressure expectations, and alleged tendency to prioritize commercial success over artists' well-being.
Fans have staged organized boycotts and sent protest trucks to the company’s headquarters over executive leadership, specifically demanding the removal of HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun due to his past industry controversies. Isaac Lee has since replaced him.
"These girls' lives are more important than your entertainment," one angry user wrote
