'This is horrifying!' K-Pop fans lash out at company seeking audition from girls as young as 3 for debut

Seo Hye-jin under Crea Studio.

Despite Seo Hye-jin’s history of producing hit shows, Under 15 is generating buzz for all the wrong reasons. The show is actively scouting children between the ages of 3 and 15 from more than 70 countries, sparking widespread concern. Reports indicate that the producer’s goal is to form a group with an average debut age even lower than NewJeans’ 16.4 years, raising ethical questions about the industry's growing push toward increasingly younger idols.

As the introductory poster of one of the contestants, eight-year-old Kim Ga Yoon, went viral on X, several netizens condemned the induction of such young children, pointing out that they are vulnerable to predators. Many also objected to the name of the programme, saying that such a suggestive name would attract the attention of pedophiles.

K-Pop Fans Are Scandalized

Retweeting Kim Ga Yoon’s picture, one X user wrote, “SHE WAS BORN YESTERDAY. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YALLL ??”


Another raised objection to the way Yoon was dressed provocatively. “The way they did her makeup, fit, pose and everything like an adult is so weird; like, the whole concept of this show/group is so weird to me but Koreans are gagging at it." read the comment.
“What’s going on? She’s not even 10 years old. This is bringing back child labor, im concerned…” complained another.
“To be honest, I'm at a loss for words. Those girls shouldn't have to go through the horror that the K-pop industry is yet. They should be at school learning and be kids. Being an idol at that