KATSEYE member Daniela Avanzini is facing growing backlash after fans accused her father, Rafael Avanzini, of making racist and inappropriate comments about Asian dancers, including Korean member Yoonchae, and other idols.
The controversy intensified when old social media comments linked to an account corresponding to Daniela’s father resurfaced in February 2026.
In one widely shared remark, she compared her daughter to BLACKPINK’s Lisa in a “who is the better dancer” poll and wrote that Daniela had a “big advantage against Asian dancers” because she is Latina, which many fans saw as a racist generalization about Asian performers.
Netizens criticized how he considered ethnicity an advantage and called the comment offensive and disrespectful, according to koreaboo.
Fans then began looking deeper into his past online activity and found more posts that they felt crossed the line. In an Instagram story that showed Daniela and Korean KATSEYE member Yoonchae standing close together during the choreography, she reportedly captioned the image “kiss, kiss her,” which made many fans uncomfortable.
Some described the caption as disturbing and inappropriate, especially coming from a parent towards his daughter and another member.
Screenshots of these comments quickly spread on X and other platforms, where users accused it of being “racist” and “disturbing.”
Many Eyekon fans of the group said they were shocked both by the racial undertones in his remarks and by the way he appeared to sexualize his daughter and her colleagues. Some posts went further, asking for greater protection for members from family-related disputes and urging the company to intervene, The card reported.
As criticism mounted, the Instagram account believed to belong to Daniela’s father was reportedly deactivated, before a new account with the same name appeared, claiming the previous one had been mass reported and banned. The new profile continued to post messages expressing pride and love for Daniela, but it did not calm the anger of many fans.
Since the account owner stated in a response that she had “talked to Dani before anything,” some people began to speculate that Daniela might have known or agreed with her previous comments, which widened the negative reaction to include her.
However, other fans argued that she should not be held responsible for her father’s actions and called for criticism to remain focused on him.
The situation has added to the ongoing concerns around KATSEYE, as recent controversies and membership issues have already raised questions about the group’s future and internal dynamics, as per KpopBreaking.
