The controversial K-Audition show, UNDER FIFTEEN, is facing intense backlash online once again.
Ever since the program was announced, it has been the subject of criticism from domestic and international audiences alike. The show’s format itself has enraged many since it is explicitly aimed at creating an exceptionally young girl group.
UNDER FIFTEEN is the world’s first audition to discover K-pop prodigies under the age of 15. Among the girls from over 70 countries worldwide, 59 talented participants have been selected, showcasing a variety of races, nationalities, and genres. These young stars will captivate audiences with their “hexagonal charm”—a combination of visuals, performance, and vocal talent—creating a new history for K-pop and thrilling fans around the world.
— Naver
But it was only recently that audiences were made aware of exactly how young the participants were going to be. On March 13, TV Report published an article mentioning a 2024 interview of PD Lee Kook Yon, one of the producers involved in the show’s making. In the interview, Lee had shared that UNDER FIFTEEN would feature contestants as young as five years old.
Some participants are as young as 5 years old…Our audition itself is a verification process. There are many kids who shine in 10 to 30-second short videos, but we want to find the real talents among them.
— Lee Kook Yon
This new piece of information has sparked even further outrage against the show among netizens, with many demanding that the show gets called off.
- “Wow, this is really not done.”
- “That show should be reported to the Korea Communications Commission…”
- “The production team is problematic, and the parents are also out of it.”
- “Shouldn’t this be stopped legally?”
- “At that age…the parents are really an issue.”
- “Are they crazy?”
- “This really needs to be stopped.”