The Korean entertainment industry is on high alert over concerns of child commodification and potential predatory behavior, especially amid the ongoing ‘alleged grooming’ scandal in the broadcasting world.
Amidst the concerns, 'UNDER 15' has been criticized for dressing young girls in crop tops and having them display languid and seductive expressions and performances. This led to a backlash that the portrayal of minors in this way sexualizes them, which many find uncomfortable and inappropriate for their age.
On March 21, the 'UNDER15' production team released a statement regarding the child commodification accusation. However, rather than apologizing or explaining the concerns about the sexualization of the young contestants, the production team raised their voices saying that the contestants were rather hurt. The team asked viewers to recognize the passion and evaluate the contestants through their sincerity.
Full statement from 'UNDER15':
"Hello, this is the production team of 'UNDER15.'
'UNDER15' is a fifth-generation K-pop audition program designed to open doors for Alpha Generation idols who have chosen their path early on. As K-pop’s global influence continues to grow, the age of aspiring idols is steadily decreasing. Our program was created to provide these young talents with real-world experience and opportunities to develop on stage.
All 'UNDER15' contestants voluntarily applied with their guardians’ consent, and we have strictly adhered to guidelines to ensure their safety throughout filming. Costumes and styling were decided through active discussions with parents, and rehearsal hours were limited to a maximum of 35 hours per week during recording periods. Additionally, both guardians and production staff were involved in supervising practice sessions and transportation.
For weekday recordings, if filming extended late into the night (except before school holidays), we adjusted the schedule in compliance with the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act to prevent any disruptions to the contestants’ education. No excessive or unreasonable schedules were imposed on school-age participants.
However, even before the first episode aired, various controversies have arisen, causing significant distress to the young contestants and their families. This situation is deeply upsetting for all involved.
Despite their young age, the 'UNDER15' contestants are pursuing their dreams of becoming global K-pop idols with immense passion, dedication, and sincerity. Many international contestants have also committed themselves to the competition since last summer’s global auditions.
To offer further transparency, we will be uploading a teaser video on CreA Studio’s official YouTube channel in the near future. We firmly believe this video will showcase both the contestants’ dedication and the production team’s sincerity, and we sincerely ask viewers to watch and evaluate it for themselves.
As 'UNDER15' is a program dedicated to supporting young talent, we deeply hope that the contestants’ six months of hard work and effort will not go to waste. Moving forward, we will take extra precautions in our production process to prevent further controversy.
Thank you for your continued support of UNDER15."
However, netizens and viewers are not acceptive of the latest statement as they further criticize that the production team seems to fail to see the issue.
They commented:
"They are using the young contestants as a shield."
"They just sound like they don't want to cancel the show because of all the money they put into the production."
"Just cancel the show."
"They should be thinking about protecting the children."
"What do they mean the contestants are hurt? Why are they using the contestants as a shield?"
"Cancel the show. We don't want to see any babies dancing sexy."
"Kids should be kids."
"They still sound like they don't know what's wrong with the show."
"Oh geez. Please stop it."
"This is a program for pedophiles."
"This is disgusting. They are just babies. What do they mean they discussed with the contestants?"
"They are just too young."
"Of course, kids want to be K-pop idols. But the adults should make the wise decision for them because they are kids."
"I hate how elementary school kids are dressed like adults and dancing so seductively."
"All they see is making money off these kids."
"The statement is total BS."
"I hate this production team."
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