A year following the success of global girl group, KATSEYE, the joint label of HYBE x Geffen announced their newest global group project titled PRELUDE. They announced three confirmed members — Emily, Lexie and Samara, former contestants of “Dream Academy” who initially competed for a spot on KATSEYE. The search for their fourth member was found through another survival show called “World Scout: The Final Piece.” On May 12, contestant Sakura was announced as the lucky winner and “final piece” of the new global girl group, now named SAINT SATINE.
Those who were following the journey of PRELUDE were already concerned that the incoming fourth member would have trouble finding their place. After all, Emily, Lexie and Samara were already making their public appearances during the search. As “Dream Academy” classmates, the girls had a familiarity with each other before even coming on to the scene as their own group. The SAINT SATINE image was plagued from the beginning by reinforcing a trio, despite their intentions of making a quartet.
Sakura’s win came at a surprise to the show’s audience. Seen as an unfavorable match for a multitude of reasons, many were outraged by the production’s decision. Some speculated that the choice was made from the beginning of the show, with the most experienced and well-rounded contestants failing to reach the finale. By the end, Sakura’s skill level still did not match what her groupmates accomplished by the end of their journeys in “Dream Academy.”
The age gap between Sakura and the rest of SAINT SATINE is the biggest tension point that audiences have trouble digesting. At freshly 16, she is the youngest member against her 20+ year old groupmates. Spectators made fun of their first appearance as a group, by claiming that the trio was babysitting Sakura. But the online attention to Sakura’s age is not just a joking matter; it’s a confrontation of the label’s predatory urge to reproduce “the ingénue” archetype.
Spectators are concerned about the involvement of a young teen in such a gruelling industry, especially when advertised on a global scale. Sakura is still learning how to perform, while her groupmates have been training for years at this point. Forcing a young girl to improve while pushing her out as a debuting artist with professionals is enough reason for public scrutiny.
Then, it’s a question of: is this scene appropriate for a young teenager, considered a minor in the majority of the world? One of the featured songs, called “We Ride” was performed in the “World Scout” finale by finalist Ayanna, 19, with the pre-announced SAINT SATINE members. The song’s lyrics contained sexual innuendos that would have been inappropriate had Sakura been the one to perform the song.
The HYBE x Geffen label is infamous amongst the fanbase of their projects. Executive Creator of HYBE America Son Sung-Deuk states in the show, “I believe that SAINT SATINE will become the best girl group in the global market. Number One.” Suspicions arose that HYBE x Geffen is attempting to ‘restart’ their global group process with SAINT SATINE, while giving up on the KATSEYE girls.
KATSEYE has reached a slow point in their group’s progress, with KATSEYE member Manon on hiatus since February. The transition from KATSEYE’s “SIS (Soft is Strong)” EP to “Beautiful Chaos” EP made it clear that the group is still figuring out a direction to work out for them as a unit. The group has yet to release a full album, but is set to have another EP release later this summer. Now in their third year since their formation, fans have lost their faith in the joint label that’s struggling to establish even one global project.
HYBE x Geffen’s creative directions have been at odds with their fanbase for a while now. While SAINT SATINE is not even a month old yet, people are apprehensive to show their support for the group. Hopefully their full debut will be a shocking twist for skeptics, living up to the aspirations the group’s executives have in mind. Until then, SAINT SATINE will have to sit with the pressure of proving themselves to the world.
