Pop Star Academy: Let's talk about the Manon situation #katseye

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Credits:
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Time Stamps
Intro: 0:00
0:46 What is Pop Star Academy?
1:15 Manon Skips Practice
1:54 Not a training program, but a survival show
2:44 It's just because she's pretty?
4:44 Manon and Iliya singled out
5:28 Manon makes things right
6:51 My final thoughts
7:29 Katseye talks the documentary
10:15 END + Touch
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#straykids #kpopnews #ILLIT #katseye #kpop #ive #HYBE #blackpink #katseyedocumentary katseye documentary katseye reaction katseye my way

[TokkiStar]

Okay, so there's no Manon slander allowed here! Most of the comments I've been seeing just want to put her down, say she shouldn't have been in Katseye, or are racist. Constructive criticism is welcome, but if you literally hate Manon and you're just here to tell us about it, go somewhere else.

[lgihgrf]

I think a key point a lot of people miss with Manon is that she was INVITED to audition, unlike every other girl who had to compete against thousands of auditions to be picked. From the beginning Manon was shown favour, which isn't her fault. They were looking for 'star quality' and they saw that in her, and she realised they wouldn't kick her out of the program because they were desperate for 'star quality' so she didn't feel the pressure like all the other girls. I don't agree with Manon's behaviour and honestly the fan voting as a whole was so annoying - even producer Bang admitted he was surprised when fans just voted based on their nationalities and looks rather than actual talent. I'll admit the whole Dream Academy thing was an excellent way to get eyes on the GG and get fans involved. But I feel so much for those girls who put their heart and soul into the training and then the competition only to realise that the public (and the execs) care more about looks and nationality than anything else.

[goldyd]

I truly don't think Manon was properly informed about what was expected of her when it comes to the Kpop training process. She's from Sweden, which is known for having a great work/life balance + she's rich and went to a school where missing a day wasn't a big deal. She wasn't a huge Kpop fan before training like many of the girls who auditioned and made it. She was just a pretty girl writing poems and playing songs on her piano like most average people with pop star dreams.

During T&D, she wasn't ever reprimanded properly breaking rules or skipping practice, so of course she kept doing it - especially if others were also missing practice and the girls never addressed it. She got to go live in her aunts house since she didn't want to be back at the dorm by 8pm and valued friends and family dinner times. It truly did look like favoritism to the girls, and I think that's the fault of the executives tbh, since someone who showed up later than everyone else got to consistently break rules and was never reprimanded for it.

However, Mitra wanted to stir up drama between the contestants, and you can't tell me that Manon getting to do those things wasn't a part of it. So while I think the group's feelings were valid in being frustrated with Manon, it ultimately manifested into isolation and jealousy. The girls were getting clique-y, even with contestants like Illya who ended up replacing an eliminated friend of theirs for a mission. For the crime of that, no one wanted to debut with her. That's messed up no matter how you spin it.

When it came time for the competition, Manon saw the support she got and decided to take the opportunity more seriously. She took accountability and never missed a day after that. That's commendable, and I think that should be acknowledged instead of people still acting like she was the same person she was a year ago.

Personally, we as Kpop fans - especially if you live in the US or any Asian country - have internalized a really unhealthy work ethic where working through sickness, mental illness, and soreness is normalized. So we see the Kpop trainee process - where people work through these things + EDs and life-altering injuries - as normal or even "hard work." All it's ever done is increase profits for people at the top, and it becomes more apparent the older that you get. Gen Z in the US are getting flack for "quiet quitting" and job hopping because we're sick of these expectations, so I honestly wouldn't have directed my frustration at Manon if I were in that situation because at the end of the day, her "favoritism" is the fault of people around her and not a reflection on me and my wirk ethic.

I think Manon was a reality check for many of the contestants that hard work isn't the only factor that contributes to connecting with an audience. You aren't going to connect with an audience automatically by the time performances roll around. Sophia thought girls she trained with for a year like Adela and Emily were "stars", but when push comes to shove, it ended up being the girl who started working hard way later than everyone else. That's a hard pill to swallow. But, she swallowed it, and it seems like the girls have a great bond now! I genuinely hope this won't be another Fifth Harmony situation years down the road.

The whole "sisterhood" shtick is cursed, I swear.

[skb]

This was a great lesson of the “life is not fair” variety.

[sakurax_xsakura]

I liked how Manon tried to resolve the situation, Lara was one of the nicest to manon abt it but also I do not blame the girls stress on having a person missing regularly, because people say that they needed to practice more bc of manon. But I also feel bad for manon too.

[LB-ihhn]

Manon never acted entitled. She was genuinely sick and tired, plus she was applying the Swiss way of approaching training. When she found out that was upsetting the girls, she pulled them together to apologise. Someone with such self reflection and who takes accountability isn’t entitled, otherwise there would have been no apology.

Watching her sing and perform in the group now, you’d think she started on the same level as the rest, when in fact the others had more training and experience than her.

I’m sure management are pleased than fan votes got her into the group. She has the ‘it’ factor for days. Quite simply put Manon’s a star ✨

[paper_rice]

honestly, the media can exaggerate things and despite there being conflict, its natural in these types of environments and they have seemed to work it out. there will always be people who decide to say the others are wrong, say manon will always be wrong, or just choose to brush over it. the tense atmosphere of a survival show and the media's emphasis on drama can shine things in a different light...

[yararasool]

The only one that didn’t talk about Manon was Dani but I’m so happy that there are like sisters now

[lonelykittycat]

Let's be real. Manon got into the group because she is drop dead gorgeous.

This doesn't mean she is not talented. This doesn't mean she is not putting the work.

But the reality is that at the time, she was absentee (besides covid) and lower skill level. She got into the group because she is beautiful and already had a fan base, and as we know, kpop fans and the infustry value beauty over anything else.

She is a good member, and she is successful, but she got into the group because she is HOT and knows how to work the camera.

[OGseoulite]

4:01 I agree. At the end of the day, regardless if Manon was sick or the times she wasn’t and stayed home- ultimately it’s the fault of the staff for permitting it for so long & not sitting Manon down and telling her “Hey either you need to start showing more discipline by coming to practice consistently or else you can go home & forget all of this.” The blame falls on the staff & the coaches for failing to properly & EQUALLY reprimand all the trainees when they abuse their privileges outside of the training program & show. I agree Manon getting so much leeway was unfair to the other girls, however, the staff is at fault for not equally sharing those privileges with all the trainees and/or not equally holding Manon accountable MUCH sooner and excluding her from the group therapy session. I thought that was so shady considering they could have had her on a zoom call to hear everything & work with the girls to hash out their frustrations much sooner. All that conflict could’ve been avoided had the staff taken responsibility and been fair to them all. They should’ve told Manon to get it together much sooner rather than allowing resentment towards her to build KNOWING she was the most popular with the least work ethic at that time period.

A lot of avoidable mistakes were made but Manon handled it well through taking action despite having few chances to defend herself verbally. At the end of the day, Manon proved she could hang & that’s why she bit the bullets or isolation thrown her way and stepped up as soon as it was demanded of her. Manon showed up and showed out when it mattered most with showed her determination & ability to catch up to her now, fellow members.

[Souperman]

I cannot be upset with the girls for feeling slighted by everyone and Manon at the time when she was succeeding but not committing to the process exactly how they were.

I just hope fans see that now the girls who are in the group are cool with each other. It isn't a competition anymore. And honestly, Manon needed to hear how she was coming across to the girls and the staff. I see this all as a positive thing moving forward.

[kiwiequis]

The problem I have around Manon is that not many people seem to have noticed that the execs mentioned multiple times that Manon broke so many rules to a point she was kicked out of the group house and had to live with her aunt.

So you have this person breaking the rules with very little punishment, on top of not being communicated with as to WHY she’s always missing practice with seemingly no repurcussions. If I had to work with someone who broke heaps of rules and seemed to half ass her way to success I’d be annoyed as well.

It’s not solely on Manon, they should’ve communicated why she was missing with the others, just a “she’s sick” “she’s feeling unwell”. She took an excess of time off for soreness considering all the other girls were expected to just work through it, but I was pretty annoyed seeing someone with such a work ethic and nonchalant view of this incredible opportunity she didn’t even have to audition for. Just kinda made her look like a privileged kid, which it sure is unfair to portray her in that way.

[maryamsalah]

A minor correction: Manon got COVID during the results announcements, but she skipped practice before she got it. Even when reprimanded, Manon continued her behavior during the entire T&D to the point the label had her move in with her aunt. Missy admitted that if it weren't about the votes, which are a huge deciding factor on who is in the group, Manon would have been chosen based on her past behavior.

[solemn.solitude]

Feels as if the director sensed that some drama was brewing and they just let it continue and let it roll for the sake of drama 😅

[ккє-оц]

I don't actually blame Manon or the girls, they were both right in their own ways. I blame the management, I think they def played into it too. $hit happens, they're prob over it. It's life, it's not that deep, people learn and grow. I hope people stop having so much hate for people they don't know. I hope they become bigger.

And yes, love your voice!

[mariaastin]

They were frustrated and they expressed it but that doesn't necessarily mean that they didn't respect Manon. Like I sometimes complain about something that some people around me do but it's not like I hate them or I want them to suffer. In the end, they talked about that and they ended up in good terms, so there's no need to hate Manon or the other girls.

[MyUmer]

I am really sorry but people are exaggerating on how "BAD MANON WAS TREATED". Like are you serious ? Was she shammed? Ostracized? Make fun of ? Called names?
The girls only expressed what they felt and how frustrating it was for them to see the blatant favouritism.
Manon didnt live with the girls too so naturally she didn't develop closer bond with the girls. Manon herself didnt seem to be interested in getting close to the girls.
Manon, even after missing practices, low skill set and having no stage or camera presence had so much confidence to say "I know i am going to be in the group". Of course because she could also see how she was favoured so much. No punishment, no repercussions and instead given special treatment.
Sophia also clearly said that she had previously discussed everything with Manon but Manon didnt change a single bit.
Its girls like Adela who are the victim. Who consistently ranked high and were actually good but got disqualified whereas a girl with low skill set and no stage/camera presence got to debut.

Manon may be a sweet girl but she is the definition of pretty privilege. The trainers werent impressed with her, not son nor missy. Saying they see no spark in her. Even till the end. During the last member's announcement...the trainer wished it'd be Emily.
Manon and Lexi were to be in the group no matter what.

[puppetaang]

Also Manon’s popularity wasn’t just due to her being pretty which I think a lot of people are missing out on and even Adela missed it was also due to her race. Samara and Sophia literally had the exact same benefit manon being one of the few black contestants and she’s openly said and been proud of her Ghanaian heritage made her a symbol for a lot of black people. And adding on to that black features and black beauty has been downplayed in media (and colorism is still a major roll in dream academy) but manon being portrayed as gorgeous and a visual while also being black really made a statement and made the black community really stand by and root for her so it wasn’t just because she was pretty it was because she was pretty and black.

[mistapibb]

They can't fit 2 years in eight episodes. I don't think this documentary did ANY justice but to create drama and hatred.

[Jaine.hearts]

3:55 sorry but i highly disagree with this theyre supposed to be a family a team cant function without trust in each other and the other contestants could not trust manon to show up so that creates a gap in the trust that is so very important i understand that the girls where frustrated its not that they where mad but when manon doesnt show up it creates a problem for the other contestants with the choreography and everything and i think that is valid thats just how it works in the real world and it doesnt improve manon's relationship with the group shes wasnt gonna improve without putting in the work and her not showing up makes her relationship with the other girls seem strained she already came late and the other girls already where very close but her not showing up doesnt improve that

And she already wasnt showing up before she got covid. covid is a very valid reason but not going because your sore when your teammates are working their ass of every single day is crazy(and this comes from someone whos been dancing since 2 years old and played in multiple musicals)