After its scheduled broadcasts in both Korea and Japan were cancelled earlier this year due to widespread backlash, 'Under Fifteen' has now reportedly been aired in Thailand. The broadcast occurred despite the lack of parental consent given by the parents of the children involved in the show.
'Under Fifteen' made headlines when it was announced early in 2025, as a K-pop audition show that would feature only female children under the age of 15, with some contestants as young as 8 years old. The show quickly began to receive international backlash - with many criticizing it for child exploitation and pedophilia, especially after the teaser posters were revealed, featuring the child contestants in heavy makeup and revealing clothes.
Shortly after, Under Fifteen's scheduled broadcast was cancelled in Korea. While the show's producer Seo Hye Jin rebranded the show as 'Star is Born' and attempted to air it in Japan in August, it was cancelled there as well due to backlash. With no news of the show since then, it came as a surprise to many when 'Under Fifteen' aired this week in Thailand - without the formal consent of the parents of some contestants. The show appeared on Thailand's largest cable provider 'True Visions', and it's been reported that producer Seo Hye Jin is searching for other Southeast Asian countries to broadcast the show in as well.
Reportedly, the parents of two contestants on the show filed for injunctions to suspend their contracts with the production company Crea Contents Studio. This occurred after the two children allegedly expressed their desire to leave the program to producer Seo Hye Jin, but were not allowed to leave the training grounds and were pressured into staying. The two children and their parents indicated that they were not made aware of the show's planned broadcast in Thailand, and did not give their consent.
The show reportedly still features K-pop celebrity judges Sandara Park (2NE1) and Daesung (BIGBANG), among others.
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