KATSEYE appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 13, 2026, right before the release of their third EP, WILD. During the interview, the host mentioned Sophia and Manon, who are currently on hiatus and absent from group promotions. Fallon praised the four remaining members and commended them for their support. Then member Lara responded that the group has love and support for both members and appreciates that EYEKONS continue supporting everyone.
KATSEYE show love to Manon and Sophia amid their hiatuses:
“We have nothing but so much love and support for Sophia and Manon.” pic.twitter.com/aEulWRXIn1
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 13, 2026
“It’s very sweet of you to say that, and we have nothing but so much love and support for Sophia and Manon, and it’s beautiful to see how the EYEKONS give them so much support and also continue to support us as we’re here, and we’re very happy to be here with you tonight,” Lara shared during the interview.
Quickly after videos of the interview started circulating online, some users criticized Lara’s answer. Many of them described the response as repetitive, prepared, or scripted, while others accused the group of trying to manage public reaction to the two absences. In contrast, EYEKONS (that is KATSEYE’s fandom) defended them and said the girl group has always expressed support for Sophia and Manon.
Manon was put on hiatus in February 2026 to focus on her health and well-being, and is not present in the group’s latest work. Meanwhile, Sophia announced her temporary break on August 7, 2026. Sophia still appears on KATSEYE’s new EP because she participated in the making-of the project before the hiatus. She is featured in the music videos for “Animal” and “Hootie Frutti.” KATSEYE’s WILD was released on August 14, 2026.
