The phrase 'health and wellbeing' is supposed to close the door on questions. In KATSEYE's case, it did the opposite, because Manon Bannerman's own words sounded less like a break she chose and more like a pause imposed upon her.
In short, the group's management announced a temporary hiatus for Manon citing 'health and wellbeing,' Manon told fans she is 'healthy' and 'okay,' and then she was seen liking an Instagram post that framed her situation as racism and label mistreatment.
Manon Hiatus and the Two Statements Fans Can't Reconcile
The official notice posted to KATSEYE's Weverse channel said that, 'After open and thoughtful conversations together,' Manon would be taking 'a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing,' adding, 'We fully support this decision.'
The same statement said the group would continue scheduled activities during her absence and that they looked forward to being together again 'when the time is right,' closing with thanks to fans for their 'love, patience, and understanding.'
If that were the only message, the story would be simple, if still worrying. What complicated it was the fan-facing note attributed to Manon, which began, 'I want you to hear this from me, I'm healthy, I'm okay, and I'm taking care of myself.'
The next line is the one that set people off, because it reads like a hint dropped on purpose, 'Sometimes things unfold in ways we don't fully control, but I'm trusting the bigger picture.'
Those are not identical tones, and pretending otherwise is insulting to readers who have basic comprehension. Fans on X quickly started treating the gap between the two statements as the real headline, with one widely shared reaction saying they were 'two completely different statements.'
he’s really speaking out of assumption just to portray manon as lazy. manon has NEVER shown signs that she doesn’t want to be in katseye, infact in most of their interviews SHES the one that’s most excited about the future pic.twitter.com/nppdhVRQLW
— manon’s lawyer (@mp3diva) February 23, 2026
Manon Hiatus and the Instagram 'Racism' Like
Online users noticed that Manon had liked an Instagram reel captioned, 'Another Black girl subjected to racism and label mistreatment yet again,' according to reporting by Allkpop.
The post, allkpop said, referenced other girl groups and argued that Black members have frequently faced racism and mistreatment, tying the theme to Manon's announced hiatus.
To recall, the father of fellow member Daniela drew backlash after posting online that 'the show must go on' and that 'KATSEYE is bigger than one girl,' language that hit like a slap given the timing. Fans urged him to delete the comment while hashtags like '#StandWithManon' and 'KATSEYE is Six' circulated in response.
The label has not publicly addressed the new speculation, and Manon has not publicly expanded on what she meant by the line about things being out of one's control. For now, the only confirmed facts are the official Weverse notice, the message attributed to Manon circulated by fan accounts and entertainment coverage, and the reporting that her account engaged with that Instagram post.
David has shared the impact article on his instagram story ☹️ pic.twitter.com/CZCtS2gHG2
— M 🧚🏽 (@manonloops) February 24, 2026
Meanwhile, KATSEYE's calendar does not pause for anyone. The group, despite Manon's indefinite hiatus, is slated to perform at Lollapalooza South America in March, starting with Buenos Aires on March 13, then Chile on March 14, and Brazil on March 22, before appearing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, in April.
IBTimes UK has reached out to Manon Bannerman's reps for comments.
