Sophia Laforteza of KATSEYE will temporarily step away from upcoming promotional activities after HYBE x Geffen said on August 7 that she must prioritize her mental health and wellness. The label said medical professionals advised her to take dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care so she can make a full recovery.
The announcement lands just days before KATSEYE's new EP Wild is due on August 14, keeping Sophia's absence in the spotlight at a busy stretch for the group. HYBE x Geffen said it will reassess her condition in September and share another update then.
Sophia has already been dealing with a stretch of absences. She sat out KATSEYE's appearance at the Hinterland Music Festival in Iowa on July 30 because she was ill, and Lara later told reporters at the Los Angeles premiere that Sophia was not feeling well. Sophia also missed the premiere of KATSEYE: Wild Hearts, leaving the group to carry on without her as promotion gathered pace.
In her own note to fans, Sophia said it breaks her heart to miss so much and that making the decision was not easy. She said health has to come first, adding that if she does not take care of her mind and body now, she will not be able to keep doing what she loves for long. HYBE x Geffen said the same thing more directly: while Sophia is eager to perform alongside her members, she has to stay off promotional activities for now.
That leaves KATSEYE operating with four members during the hiatus, and it means one of the group's busiest stretches will go ahead without one of its most visible figures. Sophia is scheduled to miss the group's performance tied to Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Fields festival on August 29, and The WildWorld Tour is set to begin in Dublin, Ireland, on September 1, putting September's reassessment at a crucial point in the group's calendar.
The open question is how long the break will last after that review. HYBE x Geffen has already tied the next update to September, but whether Sophia can return before the tour's opening date will depend on how that reassessment goes. For now, she has said she will work as hard as she can to heal properly and come back stronger.
