Blending K-pop precision, Western pop flair, and unshakable star power, KATSEYE turned their first Canadian stage into a whirlwind of movement, color, and pop spectacle.
Since their debut in the summer of 2024, Canadian fans have been eagerly awaiting the chance to see the new girl group phenomenon KATSEYE perform live. And it was well worth the wait: All six members delivered a tightly executed set, with strong vocals and powerful dance moves, at The Theatre at Great Canadian Casino in Toronto on November 18. This marked their first performance in Canada as a group and the second stop of their first official concert tour: The Beautiful Chaos Tour.
KATSEYE was formed by HYBE (the same label as BTS) and Geffen Records and is known as a global girl group. This collaboration led to an interesting combination that was the key to their success: KATSEYE’s songs are mostly in English with Western pop influence, but the group’s presentation is very reminiscent of K-pop, high-energy, synchronized choreography, and flashy visuals.
Text & Photo by Louis Alson
This combination is clearly working in their favor, as the group has reached global recognition in less than 18 months since their debut. Their songs and dances consistently go viral on TikTok and other social platforms, but they also received more traditional forms of acclaim, earning two Grammy nominations and consistently ranking high on music charts.
The group’s journey began on Dream Academy, a survival reality show, which is a common method for forming K-pop groups in South Korea, where contestants are gradually eliminated until the final group is formed. The final lineup that eventually became KATSEYE is made up of six members, from a wide array of different backgrounds and nationalities: Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae.
KATSEYE opened the night, fittingly, with their first single, “Debut.” The members struck a dramatic pose on the raised platform before descending to the main stage, where the choreography intensified through both “Debut” and “Gameboy.”
After an explosive start, they looped back up the left stairs to the upper platform and down the right stairs again all while performing “I’m Pretty,” one of their more relaxed tracks. This was their second time ever performing the song live, and with strong vocals and a playful dance break, the group once again delivered.
And the exclusives kept coming. A couple of songs later, the group followed it with another second-ever performance: their newest song, “Internet Girl,” which had only debuted in Minneapolis three days earlier. Wacky and fun in the best possible way, the track echoes the chaotic charm of one of their most popular releases, “Gnarly,” which they would perform later in the set.
After performing the song, the members admitted that they were surprised by how fast their fans, known as EYEKONS, had already learned the choreography to “Internet Girl” (first revealed only three days prior) and begun posting covers online. For EYEKONS that hadn’t mastered it yet, Megan and Daniela cheerfully offered an impromptu dance tutorial.
Riding that wave of choreography, the group flowed straight into a playful rendition of the “Milkshake Dance,” which had taken the internet by storm earlier this summer through their collaboration with Gap. They followed it with “Gabriela,” KATSEYE’s most successful release to date and the song that earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance earlier this year. The track is the second single from their EP Beautiful Chaos, which shares its name with the tour.
For the song’s dance break, the group leaned into the song’s Latin inspiration through both the choreography and the styling, wearing black and red dresses and using roses as props. To cap it all off, red confetti burst over the crowd, adding to what was one of the most visually striking moments of the night.
After “Gabriela,” KATSEYE took a brief break to change into fresh outfits, trading their bold black looks for playful, sparkly blues and pinks. But the members weren’t the only fashionable ones in the room. After a few more songs, Manon paused to admire the EYEKONS’ outfits, many of which cleverly echoed the group’s Y2K-inspired style. The rest of the members quickly joined her in appreciating the crowd’s creativity.
EYEKONS were a major force throughout the night, going absolutely crazy for KATSEYE. They not only enthusiastically sang along to all their songs, but also danced along energetically. Some fans even filmed covers at the venue before and after the show, turning the lobby into a dance studio. Toronto EYEKONS truly lived up to the “Beautiful Chaos” name.
The atmosphere softened briefly for “Time Lapse,” one of KATSEYE’s more mellow tracks, with fans waving their arms along to the melody. But the calm didn’t last long: the room erupted again as “Gnarly” and “Touch,” two of their biggest hits, kicked in. “Gnarly” featured a standout dance break, mirroring “Gabriela” yet visually contrasting it with bright greens and playful, chaotic visuals instead of reds, blacks, and polished elegance.
To close the night on a gentler note, KATSEYE finished their set with “My Way,” easing the crowd back into a calmer vibe.
EYEKONS waited a little over a year, but the show was worth the wait. KATSEYE delivered a performance that was true to their tour’s name: loud, energetic, and beautifully chaotic. If this is what they deliver in their first tour, it’s clear fans are eager to see what comes next for the global girl group.
