In 2023, HYBE and Geffen Records collaborated to debut a global girl group. The survival show Dream Academy documented the journey to form the final group, KATSEYE, taking 20 trainees selected from thousands of applicants and narrowing them down to just six.
A little less than a month after their official debut, a reality program showing more of the process of creating KATSEYE was added to Netflix’s catalog. Pop Star Academy shows parts of the process that have never been seen before, including the time before the show began.
However, with Pop Star Academy giving more of the behind-the-scenes of the show’s formation, some discussions about how some trainees were treated have been sparked. Specifically, many of the trainees have been accused of mistreating Manon based on their treatment of her after she was added.
Netflix’s “Pop Star Academy” Exposes Staff And KATSEYE’s Alleged Mistreatment Of Manon
Now, another trainee has seemingly accused the group of being “mean.”
Included in the 20 trainees was Iliya from Belarus, who was eliminated from the competition following the second mission.
On her TikTok account, Iliya shared a clip of herself covering BLACKPINK‘s Lisa and Rosalía‘s “New Woman.” When a fan commented that she wished that Iliya had made the final KATSEYE line-up, Iliya said that it was okay and that she was not wanted there, adding that the “vibes were mean.”
@riais4air 🖤IG: iliya.ria🩷 u like the song? i love it #kpop #blackpink #blink #lisa #kpopfyp #kpopers #VoiceEffects
♬ original sound – ILIYA
While some believe this was another indication that not everyone was treated fairly on the show, there is another possible reason for her statement. At one point in the show, the trainees were asked to form their own “ideal” line-up, and Iliya did not receive the number of votes she anticipated.
When she was eliminated, she remarked, “Ya’ll didn’t want me here anyways,” reflecting on some feelings she had during the challenge.
Ilya is so real for this PLSKSKSSKDDJSJ #KATSEYE #POPSTARACADEMY pic.twitter.com/R8YlR2hNWF
— musa 🇸🇩 (@politicalblink) August 21, 2024
Iliya has not clarified if she meant that the members or staff were “mean,” despite numerous comments asking for clarification. It is also worth noting that she has talked about members in a positive light before, mentioning she was close to Sophia, Manon, and Celeste.
This is also her btw. So y’all must stop reading into it https://t.co/rzFVnxt60r pic.twitter.com/74OqqxNegW
— KatMom (@KatMommm) August 24, 2024
