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Did KATSEYE’s Manon mistake BTS' SUGA for J-Hope? Singer describes 'weird' and ‘embarrassing’ encounter
KATSEYE’s Manon hilariously recalls mistaking a BTS member for J-Hope during a sleep-deprived moment at HYBE, leaving fans amused by her relatable story. Read more here!
KATSEYE’s Manon recently gave fans a memorable story to laugh about after she shared an awkward, yet hilariously relatable, encounter with a BTS member during a Weverse live stream. The rising star opened up about how a combination of severe jet lagand pure exhaustion led her into one of her most ‘embarrassing’ moments since debuting.
Currently promoting KATSEYE’s upcoming music show performances for their latest track, Gnarly, in South Korea, Manon admitted she wasn’t feeling her best on the day the incident happened. She explained that she and fellow members Lara and Yoonchae had spent a long, tiring day at HYBE’s headquarters, filled with practice sessions and meetings. As they were finally wrapping up and heading to the elevator, an unexpected encounter unfolded. “We walk out, and a guy is standing there from a very popular boy group - the same group as J-Hope,” Manon recounted, visibly cringing at the memory.
In her exhausted and foggy state, Manon said she was absolutely convinced they had crossed paths with J-Hope himself. The KATSEYE members had previously met him at his concert in Los Angeles, which likely added to her confusion. Wanting to be polite but coming off perhaps a bit too enthusiastic, Manon didn’t hold back. Practically shouting, she greeted him with an animated, “Oh my god! Hi!”—a greeting she now admits was embarrassingly over-the-top”.
Rather than receiving the warm, friendly reaction she expected, Manon was instead met with an expression of polite confusion. The man simply nodded and said “hi” back, leaving Manon momentarily puzzled but still assuming it was J-Hope. It wasn’t until later, while riding in the car with Lara and Yoonchae, that reality hit. "I was like, 'Guys, that was so weird. Does he not remember us?’ And they were like, ‘Girl, that was not him!’” Manon confessed, laughing at herself.
She explained that due to her extreme fatigue, her vision was blurry, and she wasn’t thinking clearly. “I thought he was J-Hope because I was so tired. I couldn’t really see him that well. I thought it was J-Hope, but it wasn’t,” she said. Despite the misunderstanding, Manon made sure to highlight how gracious the BTS member had been during the awkward moment. She noted that although her overly excited greeting probably seemed bizarre coming from a stranger, the idol simply smiled and returned her greeting without making her feel uncomfortable.
While Manon confirmed that the BTS member she encountered wasn’t Jin, she playfully kept his true identity under wraps. However, fans quickly began speculating that it might have been SUGA, pointing out that SUGA and J-Hope have historically been mistaken for one another, especially during their earlier years when their styles and builds were more similar.
Fortunately, when it comes to the real J-Hope, Manon and her fellow KATSEYE members have built a warm and supportive relationship. Manon revealed that they even have an active group chat with him, where he often sends thoughtful replies to their messages, no matter how random or trivial the conversation gets. “He’s so cool,” she said with a big smile. “He’s so funny, so kind, and always responds to our texts; literally the nicest human being ever.”
