KATSEYE pulls double duty on SNL Season 52 premiere

KATSEYE worked two jobs on one night to open Saturday Night Live's 52nd season on Sept. 26.

The group was the musical guest for the premiere, hosted by basketball player Jalen Brunson. It also turned up in costume in a sketch that spoofed its own origin story, according to Billboard.

The sketch was called "Dream Academy." It sent up the reality competition series that formed KATSEYE.

Four of the group's six members appeared as judges in the sketch. Brunson played choreographer Dorian Fylnt. New cast member Grace Reiter appeared alongside them, NBC reported.

In the sketch, the judging panel introduces a second season of the fictional competition. The contestants get a global music video debut titled "Guardians of the Mist," which features KATSEYE. The sketch also folds in a viral new TikTok dance.

The same four members then returned later in the show as the musical guest. They performed "Animal" and "Hootie Frutti" from the EP Wild.

Only four members performed. Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza are on hiatus to focus on mental health.

KATSEYE was put together through Dream Academy, a joint venture between South Korean entertainment company HYBE and Geffen Records. The group released its debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong), in 2024.

Laforteza finished first in The Debut: Dream Academy and is the group's leader, according to NBC.

Season 52 has added two new cast members, Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter. The pair appeared in two sketches combined in the premiere episode, Deadline reported.

What makes this stand out is the loop. KATSEYE performed as itself and then played a heightened version of itself judging the next KATSEYE. For viewers who never saw the original competition series, the sketch carried its own explanation.