K-pop Survival Show ‘Under 15′ Faces Backlash Over Contestants’ Age, Some Participants Are as Young as 8

The upcoming Ok-pop audition present “Beneath 15″ has sparked intense controversy and public outrage over its idea of that includes contestants as younger as 8 years outdated.Set to premiere on March 31, the present goals to find Ok-pop prodigies from a pool of 59 individuals, all beneath the age of 15, representing over 70 nations, together with South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. The survival present, produced by Crea Studio and set to air on MBN, first sparked fury after it launched a teaser on YouTube the place contestants had been proven getting their make-up executed.Nevertheless, it didn’t obtain as a lot backlash till after it launched its promotional content material, which featured the younger contestants carrying heavy make-up, crop tops, and quick skirts.The backlash has been additional fueled by the continued scandal involving actor Kim Soo-hyun, who has been accused of grooming a minor actress.
In response to the mounting criticism, the present’s producers held a press convention on Tuesday, to deal with the controversies.”We did suppose that there could possibly be some issues, however we spent a complete 12 months making this present, and we optimistically thought that individuals could be touched as soon as they really noticed the present,” Crea Studio co-CEO Hwang In-young mentioned. “All of us, not simply the workers, but in addition the contestants and their guardians, thought, ‘Why is the present being criticized for being one thing it isn’t?'”Regardless of the producers’ protection, the Korea Communications Requirements Fee (KCSC) has filed a grievance in opposition to Crea Studio for making false claims in regards to the present’s approval course of. The KCSC clarified that it had not greenlit the present, opposite to earlier statements made by the manufacturing firm.It’s unclear whether or not “Beneath 15” will air as scheduled. As of Thursday, Crea Studios has not but introduced any delays or cancellations.