Same Runway Different Reactions: Why KATSEYE Faced Criticism Where TWICE Didn't

KATSEYE followed TWICE onto the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway this year, but their performance drew criticism for allegedly getting in the models' way. Both groups performed during the show's PINK segment, yet the way they used the runway was noticeably different. TWICE largely left the center open for models to walk, while KATSEYE brought much of their choreography onto the runway itself. The result was a performance that some viewers praised for its energy and others found distracting.

KATSEYE performed at the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles on October 18. Four members — Daniela, Lara, Megan and Yoonchae — took the stage for the PINK segment, performing "PINKY UP" and "Animal." Their appearance came a year after TWICE became the first K-pop girl group to perform at the event.

KATSEYE began their performance among the audience before moving onto the runway. Wearing corset tops and miniskirts with different styling details, the members performed alongside backup dancers as models walked past them. Their pink-and-black outfits fit the youthful look of the PINK collection, while the choreography kept the runway busy throughout the performance.

The group received praise for its stage presence and styling. Music publication InMusicBlog ranked KATSEYE second among the show's performers, highlighting how their choreography suited the playful atmosphere of the PINK segment. Fashion outlets also drew attention to the members' coordinated looks.

But the performance also prompted complaints on social media. Some viewers felt the members and their dancers took up too much space, making it difficult to focus on the models. Some accused the group of repeatedly getting in the models' way, arguing that it was a fashion show, not a KATSEYE concert. The post received tens of thousands of likes, and similar complaints appeared elsewhere.

During "PINKY UP," KATSEYE and their dancers moved between the center and sides of the runway while models walked through the same area. At times, the performers and models appeared crowded together, and camera shots focusing on the choreography made the models less visible.

Still, there was no clear indication that any model had to stop walking or that a collision occurred. The complaints were largely about how crowded the stage looked rather than any confirmed disruption to the runway walk.

Some KATSEYE fans also questioned the staging, saying that having the members, dancers and models moving at the same time made the performance look too busy. Others disagreed, arguing that the group's choreography worked well with PINK's youthful image and did not interfere with the models. There were also complaints about live vocals and song choices, though the runway staging drew particular attention.

TWICE's appearance at the 2025 show provides a useful comparison. Nayeon, Jihyo, Momo and Tzuyu performed "This Is For" and "Strategy" during the PINK segment, becoming the first K-POP girl group to take part in the show.

TWICE also performed with backup dancers while models walked the runway. However, the members generally stayed toward the sides and back of the performance area, leaving more space in the center. KATSEYE moved around the central runway more frequently, with models sometimes passing between or behind the performers.

That difference affected how the two performances looked on camera. TWICE's staging gave the models and singers more separate spaces, while KATSEYE's brought them closer together. KATSEYE's choreography made the segment feel more energetic, but it also meant that the performers sometimes drew attention away from the models.

That does not mean TWICE's performance was universally praised. The group also faced criticism over some of its live vocals last year. However, complaints about the models' walking space did not become a similarly prominent issue. With KATSEYE, the choreography and its placement on the runway became a major part of the conversation.

The criticism also raises questions about the show's production rather than just the performers. Artists do not decide their positions on the runway independently. Their movements, the models' entrances and the camera angles are all planned as part of the overall show.

KATSEYE was not the only performer to face such complaints this year. Country singer Megan Moroney also drew criticism from viewers who felt she got in the models' way. That makes it worth looking at the 2026 show's staging as a whole, rather than treating the issue as something specific to KATSEYE.

Adam Selman led the creative direction of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in both 2025 and 2026, but the two performances took different approaches. TWICE's staging kept the singers and models relatively separate, while KATSEYE's placed them in closer proximity. The latter made for a more active performance, though not everyone felt it worked for a runway show.

Performing at Victoria's Secret is another sign of KATSEYE's growing international profile. The mixed response, however, shows that a strong pop performance does not automatically translate into a successful runway presentation. At a fashion show, the models and clothes still need room to stand out.

Both TWICE and KATSEYE brought their own strengths to the PINK segment. What set their performances apart was not necessarily the quality of their singing or dancing, but how the show made room for them alongside the models.