"Under Fifteen" Fails to Air in Japan After Title Change

Audition Program for Girls Under 15
Domestic Broadcast Canceled Amid Child Sexualization Controversy

The broadcast of the K-pop competition program "Under Fifteen," which has been at the center of controversy over the sexualization of children, has been canceled in Japan following its cancellation in South Korea.

On August 9, Yonhap News reported, citing a KBS official, that KBS Japan has ultimately canceled the broadcast of "A Star Is Born." KBS Japan, a subsidiary of KBS, had planned to air "A Star Is Born - The Story of Girls Chasing Their Dreams" (Star is Born - 夢追う少女たちの物語, hereafter "A Star Is Born") in Japan on August 11 under this new title.

The audition program "Under Fifteen," which was scheduled to air in Japan, has been renamed to "A Star Is Born." Photo by Skapa homepage

"Under Fifteen" was an audition program for children and adolescents aged 15 and under, produced with the goal of forming a fifth-generation K-pop girl group. The show was scheduled to premiere on MBN on March 31. However, in promotional materials released prior to the broadcast, participants were shown wearing heavy makeup and flashy hairstyles inappropriate for their age, and some were even dressed in revealing outfits that exposed their shoulders and waists. A total of 59 girls aged 8 to 15 (born between 2009 and 2016) from around the world participated in the program.

Civic groups, including the Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media, the Elementary School Teachers' Union, and the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, criticized the program for the commodification of children and adolescents and called for the cancellation of "Under Fifteen." As public criticism intensified, MBN ultimately canceled the broadcast on March 28, just three days before the scheduled air date.

Announcements that "A Star Is Born" would air on the KBS World channel operated by KBS Japan also appeared on the website of SkyPerfecTV, a Japanese satellite broadcasting platform. The program description included phrases such as "the world's first K-pop star discovery project for those aged 15 and under," and noted appearances by Daesung of Big Bang and Sandara Park of 2NE1. On August 8, as news spread in Korea that "Under Fifteen" would be broadcast in Japan, criticism resurfaced, and KBS Japan ultimately succumbed to public opinion and decided to cancel the broadcast.