The groups, including the People's Coalition for Media Reform and the Child and Youth Media Human Rights Network, issued a joint statement on the 25th, condemning Crea Studio's decision to push forward with airing the show despite calls for its complete cancellation. They stated, "We are appalled by the irresponsible and anti-human rights actions of Crea Studio, which has ignored demands to scrap the broadcast. The only way to protect the rights of women, children, and youth is to cancel the show entirely."
The organizations further criticized Crea Studio, saying, "While they publicly claim to protect participants, they have continued filming and are determined to air the show, revealing their duplicity. Crea Studio's insistence on broadcasting disregards the safety and rights of the participating young women and children, prioritizing commercial gain over ethics. Even after MBN's decision to cancel the airing, Crea Studio fails to grasp the gravity of the situation."
They emphasized, "The era of exploiting minors for sensational content is over. No broadcast has the right to violate the dignity and safety of young women and children. Crea Studio must immediately halt the production of 'Under Fifteen' and destroy all related content. They should apologize and stop before more harm is done."
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 Ilsan, Goyang. Seven members were selected for the final debut group. With the final filming completed, there are rumors that the show is seeking to air on a different network after MBN canceled its broadcast.
'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 child sexualization, with teaser videos showing young participants in crop tops and makeup, and profile photos displaying barcodes and birth years.
Ryu Yeji, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr