On the 24th, the Women's Party posted on their official X account, "It has come to light that Crea Studio, the producer of 'Under Fifteen,' is attempting to air the program through another broadcaster following MBN's decision to cancel it."
The Women's Party stated, "Instead of addressing public criticism about the sexualization of children, they have been making excuses, waiting for the public outcry to die down. Programs that disregard basic production ethics and put children at risk of sexual exploitation should not be produced anywhere." They emphasized the need to halt the production of 'Under Fifteen.'
They continued, "Crea Studio should humbly accept public criticism and abandon the airing. The Women's Party will ensure that 'Under Fifteen' is not broadcast on any network."
The accompanying photo shows a Women's Party member protesting in the Sangam broadcasting area, holding signs that read, 'Condemn the broadcasting industry for profiting from child abuse and exploitation of women,' and 'Do not air the child exploitation and sexualization show Under Fifteen anywhere.'
According to an exclusive report by TenAsia on the 23rd, 'Under Fifteen' conducted its final filming on the 20th at the Bitmaru Broadcasting Support Center in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang. The final debut group consists of seven members. With the final filming completed, there are reports that they are in talks with another broadcaster to air the show, as MBN has canceled its airing for this year.
'Under Fifteen' is a global K-pop audition program that recruited female participants under the age of 15 from around the world. It has faced criticism for promoting the sexualization of children, as teaser videos showed young participants wearing short clothing and makeup while dancing, and profile photos displayed barcodes and birth years.
Ryu Yeji, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr