Facing negative public opinion, the program "Underfifteen" targeting minors under the age of 15 attempts to make a direct breakthrough.

On the 25th, an emergency briefing related to the production of MBN's new entertainment program "Underfifteen" will be held at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Attending the event will be representative Seo Hye-jin of Creas Studio, PD Yong Seok-in, and PD Lee Kuk-yong.

"Underfifteen" is an audition entertainment program that aims to discover K-pop prodigies under the age of 15 and facilitate a generational shift. It is known to nurture a girl group with talent and skill among 59 girls under the age of 15 gathered from over 70 countries worldwide.

Notably, "Underfifteen" has garnered attention as a new audition show created by Creas Studio, led by Seo Hye-jin, who has successfully produced the "Miss Trot" and "Mr. Trot" series and "Active Singer". Given the stable viewership ratings and popularity of the programs Seo Hye-jin has showcased so far, expectations for "Underfifteen" have also risen.

However, unlike the trot auditions previously presented by Seo Hye-jin, "Underfifteen" has sparked concerns due to its focus on minors under 15 years old. While the age of trainees has significantly decreased in the domestic music industry, viewers have expressed discomfort at the prospect of showing minors under 15 on the broadcast.

With the first broadcast set for the 31st, "Underfifteen" management aimed to quell concerns by highlighting the potential to open doors quickly for young trainees eager to debut through a public audition. However, as teasers and previews were released, they faced criticism.

Viewers are expressing concerns about the sexual objectification of children. Girls as young as 8 to 15 years old are seen wearing revealing outfits and performing like adult girl group members, leading to negative reactions such as "They have sexualized girls under 15." Particularly, K-pop fans in the West, who are sensitive to child issues, have made sharp criticisms, stating, "This is child abuse" and "The concept itself is horrific."

Especially in the recent period leading up to the first broadcast, with the death of the late Kim Sae-ron and actor Kim Soo-hyun facing grooming allegations, the situation has become even more sensitive. In response, MBN noted, "We are taking the concerns from various sectors of our society related to "Underfifteen" very seriously. We will comprehensively review the detailed content of the program, including whether it will air, and will soon announce our position on the matter."

In contrast, Creas Studio stated, "Underfifteen is a fifth-generation K-pop audition that has widely opened doors for the alpha generation who have already chosen their path as idols. As the status of K-pop rises, the age of participants aspiring to become idols is decreasing, aligning with the current trend. This program was launched to support children in gaining practical experience and growing on stage. All participants are precious talents who applied for the program with the confirmation of their participation and the consent of their guardians. The production team has strictly adhered to filming compliance procedures to protect underage participants during shoots. They decided on costumes and styling after actively discussing with the guardians of the participants, and in the case of filming weeks, they maintained a maximum of 35 hours of practice, while guardians and the production team provided constant care and pick-up for practice sessions."

They continued, "However, at this point, where the first broadcast has not yet been revealed, various controversies have arisen, causing great shock and distress to the young participants and their guardians. Therefore, the production team plans to upload a teaser video related to the main episode on the official YouTube channel soon. We are confident that viewers will see the passion of the young participants and the sincerity of the production team, and we kindly ask that you confirm and evaluate the video directly. We will make greater efforts in production to avoid causing any controversy."

With about a week left until the scheduled first broadcast, Creas Studio has decided to hold an emergency briefing regarding "Underfifteen". Attention is focused on whether the production team, including representative Seo Hye-jin, can dispel concerns about "Underfifteen" and properly present the show.

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