Popstar Academy: Katseye pulls back the curtain on one of the most fascinating phenomena in the music industry.
The docu-series, coming to Netflix on August 21, will follow the year-long process of creating new “global girl group” Katseye using the notoriously intense training methods and ideologies used by top K-pop labels to make them superstars.
“You’re already good, I need you to be better,” the group’s choreographer can be heard sternly telling them in the teaser trailer above, debuting exclusively with PEOPLE.
“The girls know they can be eliminated at any time for any reason,” adds Missy Senior T&D Program Manager for HYBE.
The show documents the creation of Katseye and the personal journeys of its six members who come from all over the world and represent different cultures. They are Daniela, 21, from Atlanta; Lara, 18, from Los Angeles; Manon, 22, from Zurich; Megan, 18, of Honolulu; Sophia, 21, from Manila, Philippines; and Yoonchae, 16, from Seoul, South Korea.
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Viewers will follow the girls’ time in a series of singing competitions Debut: Academy of Dreams, in which 20 contestants (chosen from more than 120,000 applicants) competed for a spot in the group under Geffen Records and HYBE — the K-pop powerhouse behind groups like BTS and Tomorrow x Together.
The winning six have since released their debut single, aptly titled “Debut,” as well as another track, “Touch.” Their first EP, SIS (soft is strong), is August 16.
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According to Netflix, Popstar Academy promises an “unprecedented approach” to Katseye’s “journey to global stardom,” which may look different from what audiences are used to seeing in American shows of the same genre.
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Courtesy of Netflix
Rather than simply being discovered and signed, aspiring K-pop idols are often recruited by companies to become “trainees” and are known to spend months or years perfecting their dance and vocal skills in competitive settings with the hope of debuting as a group.
While many groups have members who come from outside of Korea, the creation of Katseye is a first of its kind attempt to capture the attention of K-pop’s growing international audience in a new way.
Katseye was named one of PEOPLE’s Rising Artists in May 2024 and spoke about his journey and his musical ambitions.
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Courtesy of Netflix
“If you had told me as a young girl — raised by a single mother in a small town in Switzerland — that I would be a signed member of an international girl group living in LA, I would never have believed you,” Manon shared. “That’s why I will always champion dreaming big, no matter where you are in the world or how far away your dreams seem.”
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Daniela then said that “months of dedication and tireless effort were invested in perfecting every detail” of their debut. She adds that the experience “gave us a great sense of fulfillment as we watched our dreams and vision for the concept of this group become a reality.”
Popstar Academy: Katseye will be available to stream on August 21st on Netflix.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education