Now that the hype around Katseye’s GAP advert has died down, is it just me that had it leave a bad taste in her mouth?
https://www.instagram.com/p/DN4EJgDAWnK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Growing massively in their first year since their debut, Katseye are a global girl group under the company HYBE that have quickly blossomed into internet sweethearts. From their catchy music and fabulous y2k fashion, to their chaotically authentic online presence, they have stolen the hearts of many who celebrate their talent and cultural diversity. They have won awards, gotten slimed (nickelodeon kids choice picture) and most importantly, collaborated with many large brands. (Pandora, Fendi, Lush, Takis, Glossier, Jollibee, GAP) (All the brand collaborations of “it” girl gang, Katseye)Their collaboration with GAP in particular has fans obsessed with the punchy, addictive choreography and the stark contrast to other, shall we say less inspired ads such as Sydney Sweeny’s questionable American Eagle collaboration. (Why Sydney Sweeney Is Facing A Backlash Over Her American Eagle Campaign | HuffPost UK Entertainment)I must preface by addressing what I’m sure some are already starting to think, another pretentious, overly sensitive, privileged internet gremlin come to ruin the fun, but this obsession with the advertising of a fashion company is undoubtedly giving rampant consumerism. This article aims to shine a new light on GAP and provide a balanced critique of the internet’s behaviour when it comes to celebrity advertisements.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLNYDNIMBHz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
GAP is a global fashion brand founded in 1969, owned by Next Plc. The Guardian wrote in 2018, (Abuse is daily reality for female garment workers for Gap and H&M, says report | Global development | The Guardian) citing a report by Global Labour Justice, that GAP and H&M were facing allegations of sexual and physical abuse of female workers in Asia. Whilst the company has since vowed to take action and uphold working conditions and human rights, the current consensus amongst experts online seems to be their current status is still “Not good enough”. In 2024 GAP received an average score of 41-50% in the Fashion Transparency Index, (Fashion Transparency Index : Fashion Revolution)11 ac albeit scoring better than 80% of brands, but unfortunately this is not saying much since the bar for many fashion retailers is quite literally in hell. Multiple articles including those by Good On You (How Ethical Is Gap? – Good On You) and The Good Shopping Guide (Gap – Fashion Retailers: Ethical Sustainable Comparison- The Good Shopping Guide)have rated GAP poorly in both sustainability and human rights, and sustain that GAP are certainly not beacons of ethical fashion.
To put it simply, GAP is classified as a fast fashion brand. As such, it is disappointing to see the internet’s general vapid celebration of this ad, with many uplifting the brand, promoting it and raving about being inspired to buy their products. I hope it’s not just me that’s sad to see the girls and the gays, many of whom would otherwise preach about over-consumption, fast fashion and the dreaded labubus, eat this up without an ounce of self-awareness. This ability to turn off one’s political consciousness in the midst of fandom is, albeit upsetting, very unsurprising in the overly parasocial world of 2025, and I believe it is a symptom or several interconnected factors.
Now before we continue, it must be said that Katseye are more of a force of good in the world than one of evil. Being the result of the joint venture Hybe x Geffen Records, a massive South Korean multinational entertainment company and an LA-based record label respectively, they are a melting pot of two pop empires, and face both the stardom and the daunting responsibility this brings. Their celebration of cultural diversity and authenticity online are a breath of fresh air in an industry with a history of racism and sexism, often speaking out against racist comments and sharing and educating fans on their cultures. Multiple members are also openly queer and shed light on the many challenges they face, particularly in the world Kpop that they inhabit. They are very much positive role models for young people across the globe.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DKPGuOyRNni/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
However, no celebrity is perfect, just as no human is. They are also very affluent, conventionally attractive women, who’s aesthetic, music and media presence are highly curated and controlled to maximise profit and popularity. Each member was selected both for her immense hard work and talents, but also to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. The irony of supporting these women by callously celebrating a company that exploits south and southeast Asian women is painfully lost on many online. They are just as much a group of talented young girls, as they are a brand; tools to appeal to and sell to other young girls. All celebrities are. Whilst I am not writing with the intension of devaluing their work and presence as positive representation, I want to remind the fans that this diverse, progressive image of the group is by design. Encouraging your support of young women of colour is by design. The design of men; corporate big dogs who want to commodify representation and feminism to sell records and brand deals. Online discourse surrounding Katseye has included their over-sexualisation, especially with the youngest member Yoonchae being a minor born in 2007, and their styling promoting unattainable body standards. Idols can seemingly be from any country, but certainly not any size.
https://www.tiktok.com/@haenchae/video/7539966314840968470?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7564193642253338134 Whether it’s questionable choreography, reductive sfx (Drop K-Pop on X: “KATSEYE’s Gnarly receives backlash after fans point out inappropriate sexual sound effect in a song featuring a minor https://t.co/M8JXvKFRv3″ / X) and lyrics in their music, or overly-revealing costuming, important discourse and criticism is, as I’ve noticed, being lost in a sea of blind adoration online. Their breaking of the racist, homophobic moulds that came before them has given fans leverage to forget or outright reject any criticism of them and the way they are managed. Yes, they represent so many vital steps in the right direction, but the men leading their media campaign want to use the veneer of progressive politics and feminism to blur any valid criticism and ultimately funnel fans to buy products.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ4NQ9LtAu6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
To utterly denounce these girls and bash them would be however, to reject all consumerism and celebrity culture, which sadly won’t happen overnight. Especially compared to many of their male counterparts, Katseye are just a small piece of a much larger, messy, capitalist puzzle. They are considered best as a case study, into how companies are learning to use gestures of progressive politics to empower fans to turn a blind eye to blatant issues of over-sexualisation, commodification of culture, anti-feminist body standards and exploitative branding. Critique of Katseye is often less about the members themselves, and more about their sexual and corporate exploitation.
As is often the case in our patriarchal world, women are held to much higher social and political standards than the men around them. I don’t want to play into that. It truly is the men around them we need to hold more accountable, the men and media conglomerates that weaponize representation to fuel dangerous, parasocial fandom. To turn us into washed-out, apolitical versions of ourselves that consume anything blindly and ignore the social issues we are otherwise passionate about. Many believe, Youtuber Cheyenne Lin and I included, that the pop music industry, especially that which debuts minors, under our capitalist, patriarchal world will never be ethical, and one can easily fall into a spiral of existential doom critiquing a culture we are forced to take part in. However, if we don’t speak out and stay aware, the status quo, the continued exploitation and tight mould female popstars, and by extension young women are expected to squeeze into will never change.
So if my article leaves you with nothing else, I want to have encouraged you to keep your head on, and remain a critical, conscious consumer, even of the things you love.
The video covering Katseye by Cheyenne Lin informed portions of this article and covers the complex political implications and specific cases of the exploitation of Katseye in much more detail: https://youtu.be/a96UQSaS2fQ?si=De8XfwskjOBu2Y1O