As MBN's new girl group audition 'Underfifteen' is approaching its first broadcast, controversy surrounding the sexual commercialization of children has arisen, with both the broadcasting company and production team revealing their stances.
On the 21st, MBN issued an official statement saying, "MBN takes the concerns of various sectors of our society regarding the new program 'Underfifteen' very seriously" and added, "In this regard, MBN will comprehensively review not only the program details but also the broadcast's status before announcing its position soon."
'Underfifteen' is a generation-replacement audition aimed at discovering K-POP prodigies under the age of 15, scheduled to premiere on the 31st. The program targets 59 girls under the age of 15 from over 70 countries worldwide, fostering a girl group equipped with talent and charm. Following the release of teasers and trailers, concerns have been raised about whether it obscures the sexual objectification of children.
As the controversy grows, the broadcasting station has stated it will completely review the airing decision and then disclose its position. On the same day, the production team of 'Underfifteen' issued a lengthy statement urging, "Please evaluate us based on direct observation."
That day, the 'Underfifteen' production team explained, "We are announcing our stance regarding the recent controversies. 'Underfifteen' is a 5th generation K-POP audition that opens the doors of opportunity for the Alpha generation who have already determined their paths as idols. As the status of K-POP rises, this program has been launched to support children in gaining practical experience and growing on stage in alignment with the trend of participants becoming younger."
Furthermore, they stated, "All participants are precious talents who applied to the program with their intention to participate and parental consent, and the production team has strictly adhered to guidelines to protect the minors during filming." They added, "The team decided on costumes and styling through active discussions with the participants' guardians, ensuring a maximum of 35 hours of practice time during the recording week, while guardians and the production team managed pickups and continuous care in the practice room."
The production team remarked, "However, at this point, where the first broadcast has yet to be unveiled, various controversies have emerged, leaving the young participants of 'Underfifteen' and their guardians in a very upsetting and unfortunate situation, experiencing extreme shock and trauma."
The production team further noted, "Despite their young age, the participants are sincerely and diligently preparing for the stage with a burning passion to achieve their dreams of becoming global K-POP idols," adding that "especially the overseas participants have been dedicated to filming since the global preliminary round last summer to realize their dreams."
Additionally, the production team emphasized, "We will soon upload related teaser videos on the official YouTube of 'Crea Studio.' We are confident that you will be able to witness the passion of the young participants and the sincerity of the production team, and we kindly ask you to watch the videos directly and evaluate them." They added, "Moving forward, we will put more meticulous efforts into the production to prevent any further controversies."
In light of MBN's official statement and the production team's announcement of their position, attention is focused on whether public opinion will change following the teaser videos to be released soon.
[Photo] MBN 'Underfifteen', SNS
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