MBN’s ‘UNDER15’ Faces Intense Criticism at Home and Abroad for Idol Audition Featuring 9-Year-Old Participant

MBN’s idol audition program for participants under 15 years old, titled ‘UNDER15,’ is receiving severe criticism globally due to concerns over the sexualization and exploitation of children. On the 12th, the program released a list of contestants via its official Instagram account, revealing that 59 girls aged 15 and younger from over 70 countries worldwide are competing, including a 2016-born participant who is only 9 years old this year. The contestants wear heavy stage makeup and outfits similar to those worn by adult idols, with some photos showing exposed areas such as their shoulders, stomachs, and waists. Korean fans immediately launched strong criticism, with comments like “What is this? What about the clothes and makeup?” “They’re making these kids imitate adult women,” and “It seems the parents who send them or the network are not thinking straight.” Some even made harsh accusations, stating, “Is this promoting child sexual violence?” and “The government needs to regulate this.”

The overseas reaction has been even more severe. On the 13th, negative opinions flooded social media platforms in various languages, including English, Portuguese, Thai, and Japanese, with criticism particularly intense in Western countries that are sensitive to child issues. Foreign fans posted on X (formerly Twitter) messages such as “Sexualizing children under 15 and putting them in front of cameras for everyone to see is insane,” “This is child abuse,” “It’s shameful how parents and companies try to exploit these young girls,” and “What exactly is happening in Korea?” One foreign fan lamented alongside a photo of the 2016-born contestant, saying, “She looks like she was just born,” while another user sarcastically commented, “‘UNDER19’ became ‘UNDER15.’ Will the next one be ‘UNDER12’?”

Experts have warned that the production and direction of the program need to be handled more carefully to protect underage participants. A representative from an entertainment company said, “In foreign countries, the approach to age is binary. Those under 16 are considered children who must be fully protected.” He added, “Since the competitive process is exposed completely, it inevitably turns into a game of tactics, and since profit-driven activities will start right after the show ends, it’s hard to avoid accusations of sexual commodification.” He also noted, “Abroad, there are still views that link K-pop to lolita concepts,” and added, “If the program’s goal is simply to present a girl group made up of the youngest children possible, it will likely fail to gain sympathy.”

Adult contestants have also complained heavily about the physical and mental strain after the competition, and experts are concerned that exposing young children, whose identities have not yet fully formed, to public evaluation during the competition process could be cruel. An industry insider emphasized, “The program needs to clearly define its concept and purpose, as well as thoroughly establish internal guidelines to protect participants throughout the survival process.”

‘UNDER15’ is positioned as an audition to discover new K-pop talents and bring about a generational change, with Hyun Hye-jin, the CEO of Crea Studio, serving as the producer. Crea Studio claimed, “You will see the true nature of today’s generation, who have firm determination and conviction for their dreams, enough to completely dispel adults’ concerns that they are too young to start an idol career,” but this statement has not calmed the controversy. The program is scheduled to air on the 31st.