'Missing' KATSEYE member Manon Bannerman shocks fans as she resurfaces at French fashion show amid ongoing group drama

KATSEYE's 'missing' member Manon Bannerman is back in the spotlight more than five months after taking a shock hiatus from the chart-topping girl group.

Despite claims that she's been dealing with health issues, the 24-year-old looked better than ever as she stepped out for a Jacquemus fashion show on the French island of Corsica on Monday.

The pop star was glowing in a bright yellow bralette and matching skirt that stopped just above her ankles. 

She accessorised with a mint green clutch and a pair of stylish cream stilettos. 

Bannerman was just one of the many celebrity names on the guest list, which included English singer Sienna Spiro and French actress Isabelle Huppert.

She didn't address any of the KATSEYE drama at the event, but Bannerman did speak briefly with WWD about the Jacquemus runway show.

Fans were shocked by the model's return to the spotlight, with one commenting, 'The way they took her out the group just for her to get brand deals and show she’s here to stay with or without them.'

'Wait, she can go to events but is on a hiatus? Isn't this a contract clash? Can somebody explain?' asked another.

While the official word from both KATSEYE and their record labels Hybe and Geffen is that Bannerman is on hiatus from the group to take care of her 'health and wellbeing', the Swiss influencer has mostly been seen out partying with her celebrity pals.

Over the weekend, Bannerman and her best friend Sophie HM, who is the girlfriend of Australian rapper The Kid Laroi, were spotted leaving an after-party for fashion brand Vetements in France. 

Before that, Bannerman was spotted at Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine tour in Los Angeles with Laroi and his friends. 

As Bannerman remains on hiatus, her bandmates are preparing to release a new album and are embarking on a world tour later this year without her.  

KATSEYE - marketed as the world's first 'global girl group' given that their members hail from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States - rose to prominence in 2024 after forming on the reality competition show, The Debut: Dream Academy, created by South Korean record label Hybe and American label Geffen Records.

Comprised of members Daniela Avanzini, 21; Yoonchae Jeung, 18; Sophia Laforteza, 23; Lara Raj, 20; and Megan Skiendiel, 20, in addition to Bannerman, KATSEYE has taken the world by storm.

In February this year, they performed their hit song Gnarly at the Grammy Awards and earned two nominations - Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Just a few weeks later, Bannerman's 'temporary hiatus' was announced, throwing the group's future into doubt. 

Her exit sparked a firestorm among the group's fiercely loyal fandom, with countless fans crying racism because the biracial Bannerman is half black.

The drama went into overdrive after Bannerman 'liked' an Instagram post from pop culture commentator Simply Simone, who claimed that Bannerman was the victim of 'abhorrent hate' due to her race. 

The post also said that black members of mixed-race girl groups are often victims of racism.

Bannerman is Ghanaian on her father's side and Swiss-Italian on her mother's side.

There has been no evidence or examples of the star actually facing any racism from her bandmates or record labels, but that hasn't stopped her rabid fanbase from feverishly spreading the narrative online.

Bannerman also fueled the fire by contradicting her record label's public statement about her hiatus.

While Hybe said that Bannerman was taking a break to focus on her health, the singer herself took to the social media app WeVerse to insist that she was fine. 

'I want you to hear this from me, I'm healthy, I'm okay, and I'm taking care of myself,' Bannerman wrote to her fans back in February.

'Thank you for checking in! Sometimes things unfold in ways we don't fully control, but I'm trusting the bigger picture. Thank you for standing by me. I love you endlessly and can't wait to see you again.'

The Daily Mail has not received a response to its request for comment. 

As the drama around Bannerman rages on, the rest of KATSEYE have forged ahead as a five-piece.

In April, the group took the stage for a smashing set at Coachella, scoring the most-streamed performance during the first weekend of the festival.

Then, at the American Music Awards in May, they delivered a jaw-dropping performance of their hit Pinky Up and took home three awards at the ceremony, including New Artist of the Year. 

Pinky Up marked their first single without Bannerman and reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's also the longest-charting song on the Hot 100 from a female group this year.

They've since followed it up with another hit, Iconic By Mistake, which just debuted at No. 38.  

The group's upcoming EP, Wild, is slated for release on August 14, with the record already becoming one of Spotify's most pre-saved albums.

They've now been added to the lineup of Olivia Rodrigo's all-female Daisy Chain Fields music festival, which will see them take the stage alongside music icons like Stevie Nicks, Karen O, Chappell Roan, and Rodrigo. 

When pressed about Bannerman in an interview on The Zane Lowe show in April, KATSEYE had nothing but kind words for their absent bandmate.

'At the end of the day, we just all want each other to win. And to be good,' Laforteza said.

'I think we also want to say like she's our sister forever... So we just want to give her all the space and love she needs right now,' Raj added.