"Girls under 15 have been sexualized," "This program is designed to help them grow on stage." MBN's new girl group audition 'Under Fifteen' has come under fire for controversy regarding 'child sexualization.'
MBN's new entertainment show 'Under Fifteen' is set to premiere on the 31st. In the meantime, criticism towards 'Under Fifteen' is rising sharply, with viewers becoming increasingly concerned about the continuation of the broadcast.
'Under Fifteen' is an audition program that aims to discover K-pop prodigies under the age of 15. It is reported that 59 girls from over 70 countries, aged under 15 and selected for their talent and flair, will be nurtured into a girl group.
Initially, 'Under Fifteen' was anticipated as a new project led by Producer Seo Hye-jin of Crea Studio, who had already achieved success with the 'Miss Trot' and 'Mr. Trot' series as well as 'Active Singers.' Since Seo's programs have all guaranteed stable ratings and popularity, 'Under Fifteen' was also expected to achieve commendable results.
Of course, there were concerns about whether the participants' ages were too young, given that 'Under Fifteen' targets minors under 15. However, the starting age for trainees aspiring to be K-pop idols in the domestic music industry has significantly decreased. The 'Under Fifteen' team expressed optimism that the show could quickly open doors for young trainees longing for debut through a popular audition.
However, recent teasers and previews have changed the response. Concerns have intensified about whether children are being sexualized. Girls aged from 8 to 15 wearing revealing outfits such as crop tops and heavy stage makeup, performing like adult girl group members, have raised alarms about sexualization, contrary to expectations of dreams and hopes.
Coincidentally, the controversy surrounding actor Kim Sae-ron, who faced allegations of dating adult actor Kim Soo-hyun during her minor years, has surfaced. This has led to increased scrutiny of minors' activities in the entertainment industry and their protection, raising questions about the planning intentions and purpose of 'Under Fifteen.' Given that content generating inappropriate reactions from the teasers and previews is unlikely to be viewed positively when the main broadcast begins, concerns have been mounting.
In response, MBN released an official statement on the 21st, saying, "We are taking the concerns from various sectors of our society seriously. In connection with this, MBN will thoroughly review the program's details and air status, and will disclose its position soon."
Crea Studio, the production company, also issued a lengthy statement on the same day. However, Crea Studio emphasized that "'Under Fifteen' is a 5th generation K-pop audition that has opened doors of opportunity wide for the Alpha generation who have chosen to become idols early on" and noted, "With the rising status of K-pop, the ages of participants aspiring to be idols are decreasing, and this program was launched to support children in gaining practical experience and growing on stage."
Additionally, they highlighted that during the production process of 'Under Fifteen,' active discussions were held with participants and guardians to comply with relevant regulations and to respond actively to the protection of minors. Furthermore, they expressed, "As various controversies have arisen before the first broadcast has aired, it is a very upsetting and unfortunate situation where the young participants who joined 'Under Fifteen' and their guardians are experiencing severe shock and distress."
In response, the production team emphasized the participants' efforts, stating, "We will soon upload the main content teaser video through Crea Studio's official YouTube channel," and expressed, "We are confident that you will be able to see the passion of the young participants and the sincerity of the production team, and we ask you to please check the video directly and evaluate it. We will make more careful efforts in production to prevent any potential controversies from arising in the future."
However, despite these efforts from the production company, critical opinions are gaining strength, arguing that responses to issues related to minors need to be stricter. Attention is focused on whether the main teaser for 'Under Fifteen' can overturn this public sentiment.
[Photo] MBN, Crea Studio provided.
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