KATSEYE’s April 30 “Gnarly” MV was supposed to be a slay—but it’s stirring up serious controversy instead. The rookie girl group’s edgy visuals quickly went viral, not for their aesthetics, but for how they featured 17-year-old member Yoonchae. Fans and users are side-eyeing HYBE for pushing overly mature concepts on a minor, flooding social media with criticism.
The video shows Yoonchae styled in outfits that many feel are too grown, alongside dance moves and visuals that reportedly don’t fit her age. Add in some moaning audio and a very questionable close-up of flies mating, and boom, controversy began. The creative direction may have aimed for “artistic,” but it left many viewers deeply uncomfortable instead.
Adding to the backlash, the song has been received with mixed to negative reactions from fans, who aren’t liking the stylistic switch-up and the track’s lyrics. For now, social media is ablaze with calls for accountability and better protection for young stars. Not to mention the criticism around the song, which is making this comeback less than stellar.