'Under15' production team directly clarified the allegations of sexual objectification that arose ahead of the first broadcast.
On the afternoon of the 25th, an emergency production presentation for MBN's new variety program 'Under15' was held at the Grand Ballroom of Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The presentation was attended by Seo Hye-jin, CEO of CREA Studio, and co-representative Hwang In-young, along with PD Yong Seok-in, who revealed parts of the actual broadcast of 'Under15' and addressed questions related to the program.
'Under15' is a project aimed at discovering K-POP prodigies under the age of 15. It is a survival audition program that nurtures a 5th-generation girl group equipped with skills and talents that transcend age. Originally set to air for the first time on the 31st at 9:10 p.m., the program faced controversy after its participant teaser video was released, featuring participants in makeup and revealing outfits that did not match their ages, striking a sexy concept. Moreover, a barcode was inscribed at the bottom of the participant profiles, raising allegations of child sexual objectification. When it became known that the youngest participant is only 8 years old, not only were there criticisms from within Korea, but also from international netizens who are particularly sensitive to issues involving minors.
As the controversy intensified, 'Under15' representatives issued an official statement noting, "All participants of 'Under15' are precious talents who voluntarily applied to the program with the consent of their guardians, and the production team has strictly adhered to recording guidelines to protect minor participants during filming. The production team decided on outfits and styling through active discussions with the participants' guardians, and practice time was maximized to 35 hours during the recording week, with guardians and the production team providing constant care and pickup from the practice room."
As the controversy grew, the representatives stated, "At this point where the first broadcast has not yet been released, various controversies have caused extreme shock and hurt to both the young participants and their guardians. This is a very upsetting and regrettable situation," and they added, "As a program that supports and accompanies the participants' dreams, the production team sincerely hopes that the sweat and effort of the participants, which have poured in for over six months, will not be in vain, and they will put in more careful efforts in production to avoid any future controversies."
Nevertheless, as negative public opinion about the program did not subside, the production team held an emergency press conference to discuss the program. Hwang In-young opened the Q&A session by saying, "There are several controversies and allegations regarding 'Under15.' First of all, I am deeply regretful and sorry for the concern this has caused. While there are moments in broadcast production that bring praise and fulfillment, unexpected controversies arise, and sometimes we become aware of points we had not considered. However, this case has grown in ways we did not foresee, and it is concerning that the suspicions are being inflated as if they are true. This situation affects not only our production company, CREA, but also the dignity of the participants and the first-class master trainers and staff who helped us. I have been thinking deeply about how to resolve this controversy."
He continued, "I thought I should do my best, so, although unusual, we have arranged this event. As much as possible, we wanted to urgently clarify the aspects that are different from what we believe to be the truth. After 25 years in broadcasting, I have learned that those who produce content are evaluated by the content itself rather than words. I want to once again seek judgment through our content and felt the need to protect everyone who has participated with us. I established this event with the thought that I want to keep the promises made with them. We will reveal the prepared broadcast video, and afterwards, we will have a Q&A session regarding the points you are curious about and the aspects we would like to discuss."
Following this, some parts of the 'Under15' broadcast were revealed. The video showed global participants who came to audition for their dreams of K-POP, as well as young contestants who had already gained fame through short-form videos on social media. The judges announced acceptance with words of encouragement, and one participant shed tears upon hearing the results.
After the screening, a full-fledged Q&A session followed. CEO Seo Hye-jin, when asked about the production company's intention to proceed with the broadcast despite MBN's statement to fully review the situation, replied, "We do not have a different opinion from MBN. We discussed it, and while MBN is a platform, it has expressed its intention to review the issue because it feels responsible." He added, "Actually, we had already presented the complete first episode to the review team, planning team, and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) two weeks ago. Since they found no problems internally, we preemptively posted this edited version on YouTube to dispel the controversy."
Regarding the public's criticism of competing minors and the evaluation of them in an adult-like manner, Hwang In-young stated, "There are those who argue that setting an age limit is itself a problem, and while we had some concerns about that, as you have seen in the video, our main intention was to hold auditions for the current generation of Alpha generation. Friends who were born in the 21st century in South Korea grow up in media environments that are different from those of previous generations. In an era where K-POP has become the global standard, it is natural that there are friends who want to become K-POP idols like professionals and scientists, wanting to showcase their talents to the world. We wanted to open the door of opportunity to that generation."
He explained, "In the current K-POP structure, there are many young friends under 15 who have dreams and talents, but they are often neglected due to their age. I believe there are parts where reality cannot keep up with their dreams. Broadcasting serves as an official route to showcase talents, unlike the planning companies that play a role in the industrial structure, and it highlights parts and potentials that are currently not being noticed in the system. We aim to ensure that talented Alpha generation participants can be judged by top seniors and that the best staff help them develop their talents further. While there have been many auditions so far, we thought it would be meaningful to open a slightly different and uncharted chapter."
He continued, "There are also points to address regarding concerns and careless criticisms. In some ways, since it is an audition for a girl group targeting those under 15, we should have taken all precautions to prevent such controversy from arising. I do feel regret over that. We had been very cautious throughout this process, and we had confidence in that. Recent idol content has turned out dramatically different from ten years ago. When thinking of girl groups, one might not recall performances deemed as sexual objectification. Ten years ago, people questioned whether it was appropriate for such young friends to perform, but the current trend is different, and children do not imitate such performances. We, too, were surprised. Today's children have different aspirations and are working hard in ways that may astonish and impress adults. We have often shared this sentiment with the production team and participants. There may be various concerns about this, but we had a hopeful moment where we believed everyone would be impressed once we finally air it after more than a year of planning and preparation," he confessed.
Continuing, he said, "As recent external factors accumulated, many expressed concerns about our title, leading to controversies and suspicions of intentionality regarding such matters. I want to clarify that we did not have such intentions. However, if it results in controversy that harms the participants, I believe we must act to prevent that. We agreed that it is necessary to reevaluate the scheduling and content with MBN more rigorously and stringently, which is why we find ourselves in a situation of agreeing to a 'full review.' However, the reason for our determination to proceed is not as different as it may seem. I hope that the participants in this program are not consumed in a distorted narrative contrary to the facts, and I feel that protecting the honor of our team along with the participants is necessary."
He also provided clarifications regarding the controversial teaser and profiles. CEO Seo Hye-jin explained, "The individual who designs the work shared on social media is a woman in her 30s. She only handles the design separately, and we took inspiration from a student ID concept. We think of 'Under15' as a school where these friends grow their dreams and hopes and where they can meet good teachers for training. Therefore, we approached it with the school ID concept. Nowadays, student IDs have barcodes and birth dates, but since we cannot include personal information, we only included ages. I was genuinely surprised by the interpretation of the barcode as something sexual." He added, "However, we took the profile down due to concerns that friends would be hurt by it. I was shocked to see discussions framing student IDs in relation to sexual exploitation."
Hwang In-young emphasized, "Since the narrative framing the situation as sexual objectification can harm the participants, we might not have intended that, but it has been distorted, causing the controversy to escalate. Therefore, in the hope of preventing harm to the participants, we deleted the profile picture from the official account." He continued about the sexy concept teaser video, saying, "Our intention was to express the contrasting feelings of the children wanting to showcase their talents beautifully compared to what we might think of as representing young friends. The teaser is shorter and primarily serves images, so it seems to have been misunderstood as an adult-mimicking sexy concept. We thought that should not be the case, which is why we deleted it quickly. I want to clarify that we did not intend for that to be the case. The media consumption methods for young friends are indeed different now. Viewers' perspectives have risen, and we viewed this as an opportunity for reflection on any inadequacies we may have encountered."
Regarding the system for protecting participants after the broadcast, Hwang In-young noted, "In previous auditions, there have been many experiences with young friends as participants. We have indeed learned some valuable experiences throughout that process. Naturally, we share concerns about managing comments and are preparing for those aspects. However, in this instance, we should have responded more actively and effectively to the unexpected controversies arising due to various external factors before the broadcast began. The fact that we did not prepare for the many situations young participants might face during the production process is not true. Those who dream of being idols are aware of the good and bad that come with participating in such programs nowadays. We communicated sufficiently with them about how we aim to debut. However, we hope they can participate with optimism regarding the bright aspects of their journey. During production and in the following processes, we continued to communicate much more closely with participants and parents than in other auditions."
CEO Seo Hye-jin stated, "Mothers are concerned about how to ensure their children receive training from good teachers, wondering if their children are genuinely talented. As you know, through auditions, they can connect with the best teachers and trainers. An audition is not a complete endpoint; it is only a passageway. It is a process where both participants and teachers learn and grow together. Therefore, there are many friends under 15 who want to undergo idol auditions, especially foreign friends wishing to receive K-POP training. Many parents of those friends understand and seek to come to Korea, through the K-POP system, to find and develop their talents, and this program focuses on that aspect."
Director Yong Seok-in stated, "I want to share how we conduct our production on-site. Personally, I think the most important thing for children in auditions is learning, even more than debuting or getting selected as a final member. How can we ensure that they gain valuable experiences during the process? I keep this in mind while developing the program. The masters often come down to directly advise the participants, and I aim to create an environment where they can provide ample support and advice. Even if the participants do not succeed, I want them to leave with smiles, feeling good and grateful. Ensuring that children learn and grow through this audition process is our biggest goal, and I do not think the evaluation of appearances is important, nor do the judges intend to evaluate that way."
When asked whether the individuals involved are aware of this controversy, Hwang In-young noted, "The initial reaction from participants, guardians, and staff was a shared concern: 'This is not the type of program we are involved in. Why are people saying it is?" He shed tears. PD Yong Seok-in added, "The children are unaware that the broadcast might not happen. They are doing their best every moment. Even now, they are likely practicing somewhere and want to have their learning recognized. They look forward to the broadcast, feel proud, and wish to promote it; that is the sincere desire of the children and their parents. However, they are being hurt by these distortions. This is deeply regrettable for us as producers. If the broadcast does not happen, the pain the children and their parents will endure is unimaginable."
He remarked, "In fact, parents care for us by asking if we are okay considering these circumstances. They say they will take care of their children and want us to focus on making the broadcast well without worrying about anything else. We are comforted by their reassurances. This support drives us to work harder so that the results achieved through the efforts of the children, parents, staff, and production team can be fully showcased to the world. Even the parents of eliminated contestants and those who were selected report that their children were so happy to come home. Hearing such things motivates us, and we strive to ensure that children can receive recognition for their talents and achieve their dreams. We want the results to be a step in their growth, rather than an endpoint, and are committed to doing our best to make it so."
CEO Seo Hye-jin addressed the broadcast schedule of 'Under15' and future plans after winning, stating, "We are currently in contact with companies regarding debut and management. We are keeping various possibilities open, aiming to create groups suitable for their age who understand this concept. While there are parties interested, we are assessing the situation, as there may be mismatches in our expectations."
She continued, "Regarding the broadcast, we are editing the broadcast footage based on everyone's feedback. As I mentioned, MBN has reviewed and shown all content to everyone involved in planning and scheduling. We will first edit all footage before presenting it for prior review, and we intend to coordinate the broadcast date. We are not insisting on 'the 31st or nothing,' but we established this event to seek understanding and show you all. Regarding how we will air the show, we will showcase the edited version, summarize the content, screen it, and decide on points that will not hurt the children and base the final decision on what may be discomforting for everyone. However, I would like to ask humbly that you understand that our intentions were not as they may seem. Please support us generously."
Lastly, Hwang In-young expressed, "I hope this audition can help break the misconception that editing feeds the devil and that girl groups equal sexual objectification." CEO Seo Hye-jin added, "I believe that all issues stem from opposites. Is 'Under15' a program created by more than 100 production members that utilizes young children to create sexual objectification? Are those individuals creating a product of sexual exploitation using their children? I do not think so," as she cried.
PD Yong Seok-in noted, "As someone directing on-site, I was genuinely surprised. Even I had not realized that children of this age could perform to such a level of dance and singing. Upon checking their social media, I noticed they have an abundance of dance videos showcasing their talents. This generation is adept at self-expression. I believe you could feel the confidence they exude on stage. Rather than anxiously awaiting selection, they harbor a sincere hope that their show will be recognized. I am surprised to see children perform confidently. After observing the process in each round, I am pondering how to support these rapidly growing and highly absorbent children daily. I hope that those watching can share in the emotional impact I felt while watching these children's performances. We are focusing all our passion on this, so I kindly ask for your encouragement and support."
[Photo] CREA Studio
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