Canceled Idol Debut Show “UNDER FIFTEEN” to Return with Premiere Outside Korea

UNDER FIFTEEN is facing backlash again — but not in Korea this time.

The controversial K-pop survival show, which sparked outrage over the child sexualization of its trainees under 15, was dropped by MBN. Now it has landed at KBS, but the broadcast won’t air in Korea.

Instead, the show will premiere in Japan under a new title, Star Is Born. It’s set to debut on August 11 at 4:50 pm local time on KBS Japan, a KBS subsidiary airing Korean content in Japan.

This move follows intense criticism over the show’s concept and the exploitation concerns surrounding its young contestants.

The network has started promoting the Japanese broadcast through trailers and ads on YouTube.

The original Korean airing was scrapped due to the controversies that blew up when the show’s premise was revealed. Netizens slammed the program for pushing minors into the spotlight at such a young age.

You can catch all the details on the backlash here:

“All The Controversy Surrounding ‘UNDER FIFTEEN’ And Its Child Trainees” – Koreaboo