KATSEYE Enters Billboard Hot 100—Hybe’s U.S. Strategy Works
K-pop Girl Group KATSEYE Makes Hot 100 Debut with “Gnarly”
KATSEYE, the global girl group co-launched by Hybe and Geffen Records, has officially entered the Billboard Hot 100. Their debut single “Gnarly” ranked at No. 92 on the Billboard chart dated May 17, marking a significant achievement for a rookie group formed through a U.S.-based K-pop training model.
This milestone follows KATSEYE’s recent success on the UK Official Singles Top 100, where “Gnarly” charted at No. 52, and on Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs Global, where the track reached No. 60. The song has also gained momentum on Billboard’s Global 200 (No. 47) and Global Excl. U.S. chart (No. 39). KATSEYE also climbed back to No. 11 on the Billboard Emerging Artists chart.
In a statement through Hybe, the group shared:
“Making the Hot 100 feels like a dream come true. We’ve poured everything into this debut, and we hope our journey inspires others to chase their own dreams.”
Bold Sound, Bolder Strategy—“Gnarly” Shakes Up Global Charts
Released on April 30, “Gnarly” blends hyper-pop with dance and punk elements, showcasing an intense, genre-bending sound. Although the experimental style initially divided listeners, the group’s high-energy performances on Korean music shows quickly won over fans worldwide.
The track was chosen early in KATSEYE’s debut planning, with Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and the creative team working closely to refine it for live performance impact. Chief producer In Jeong-hyun said,
“We focused on preserving the song’s uniqueness while crafting a stage that let KATSEYE shine with their own colors.”
The strategy paid off—KATSEYE’s appearances on “M Countdown,” “Music Bank,” “Music Core,” and “Inkigayo”boosted global attention, with the Studio Choom dance video surpassing 7.79 million views on YouTube.
KATSEYE and the Future of K-pop Globalization
Behind this breakout success is Hybe’s K-pop training and production system, now applied in the U.S. for the first time. KATSEYE was formed through the global audition project “The Debut: Dream Academy”, then trained under Korea’s system for vocals, performance, and team dynamics.
Hybe localized the model by establishing a T&D Center in the U.S., adapting Korean training methods to a Western environment—where most labels work with already-established artists.
The result is KATSEYE: a group with K-pop discipline and U.S.-targeted branding, proving that Korea’s artist development system can work internationally. Hybe commented,
“We chose Korea as the stage to express the group’s identity most effectively. That decision became a turning point.”
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