KATSEYE Announces Sophia's Return in 2027 as Fans Demand an Update on Manon's Future

Sophia Laforteza will resume activities with KATSEYE in the first week of January 2027, HYBE x Geffen has announced. The singer has been on hiatus since August while prioritising her health and wellbeing.

The announcement provides a timetable for Sophia's return but does not give one for Manon Bannerman, whose temporary hiatus began in February. Following the news, some fans called for the company to provide an update on Manon.

Sophia Will Return to KATSEYE in January 2027

HYBE x Geffen, known as HxG, confirmed Sophia's return schedule in a notice published on Weverse. The company said she had been prioritising her health and wellbeing with its support and resources.

Sophia will not participate in the North American leg of THE WILDWORLD TOUR or promotional activities for the remainder of 2026. HxG said it looked forward to welcoming her back as KATSEYE begins its next chapter in 2027.

She previously missed the European and UK leg of the tour, which ran from 1 to 17 September. That absence was announced in late August, before the October notice confirming her January return.

Fans Celebrate Sophia's Return But Ask 'What About Manon?'

News of Sophia's January return prompted celebratory posts from EYEKONS, alongside requests for information about Manon's hiatus. PinkNews reported both responses to the announcement.

For fans awaiting Sophia's return, the notice provided a timetable for when she would resume group activities. It also clarified that she would remain absent from the North American tour and promotional activities for the rest of 2026.

Other fans used the announcement to ask HxG for a similar update on Manon. Their questions focused on the difference between the two members' publicly announced schedules: Sophia now has a return date, while Manon does not.

The requests concerned information missing from the notice, which addressed Sophia's activities rather than Manon's status. Although HxG originally described Manon's hiatus as temporary, the latest announcement did not say when she would resume activities with KATSEYE.

Why Sophia Stepped Away From KATSEYE

Sophia stepped back from group activities in August 2026 to prioritise her mental health and wellbeing. She later said she was receiving ongoing treatment and apologised to fans for missing the European and UK tour dates.

Her absence followed Manon's earlier break, leaving KATSEYE to continue scheduled activities with four of its six members.

The January announcement sets out Sophia's expected return to group activities. It does not provide further details about her health or treatment.

When Did Manon Begin Her KATSEYE Hiatus and Why?

HxG announced Manon's temporary hiatus in February 2026, saying she would step away from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing.

The company said the decision followed 'open and thoughtful conversations together' and that the remaining members supported it.

In a message to fans, Manon said: 'I'm healthy, I'm okay, and I'm taking care of myself.' Her statement did not provide a return date.

Sophia Previously Addressed Speculation About Manon

Manon's hiatus prompted speculation about mistreatment after she reportedly liked a social-media post discussing the experiences of Black women in the music industry. That reported interaction did not establish why she stepped away from group activities.

In a Vanity Fair interview published on 30 June, Sophia rejected suggestions that race was behind the hiatus.

'We can definitely say that in our situation, in no way was it about race,' she said. 'That goes against everything that we stand for.'

Sophia is scheduled to resume group activities in the first week of January 2027. The latest announcement did not provide a return date for Manon, whose hiatus was originally described as temporary.