It Should be Illegal for MINORS to Debut

Yes, I know half the kpop industry wouldn't be active

But I feel this very strongly. I think the minimum debut age should be 16-18 at the very LEAST. The idol industry is one of the harshest entertainment industries and the fact that CHILDREN are going through this really makes me upset. Not to mention, the fact that the idol industry is visual-based-- it's definitely sus when underage idols debut ngl. Espcially given some of the concepts groups do, if the members are not of age it's exploitative and creepy.

I remember Taeyeon did an interview where she said that she felt like stopped at 18 after debut-- that she sort of felt stuck at the age. Imagine debuting at 13/15, dropping out of school, etc. Man, these idols are really in for a rough time. Not to mention with the control companies have over their idols, the hours of practice they put in, and the number of hours they work-- children should really not be working that much. At the very LEAST there needs to be further regulation.

For example, child actors in the US have representatives, monetary regulations, and minimum working hours. I think these sorts of regulations could successfully be implemented and at least help minor idols who debut. I know its not possible to stop minors from debuting, but there can be regulation that better protects them. Even Lisa got scammed by her manager as she was an adult, I can't imagine how minors knows how to deal with these kinds of things.

Quote from Zazatwin22

Yall always say this but ive is still one of the biggest gg out rn. Snsd had members that were minors when they debuted. Itzy had a minor when they debuted. Many successful well supported gg had minors at debut. I doubt they are truly suffering and i also doubt that yall are as seriously against this in real life as you guys are online.

Well, I know my faves wouldn't be active if there was truly regulation about this AND I still feel strongly about it and support such stuff. I do support only adults debuting. It sucks that the majority of groups have minors now IMO. also not you generalizing kpop fans, many ppl are vocal about this stuff.

Quote from ISaidISaid

The argument should be that the idol industry needs to change and be less exploitative of minors

Whether it’s sports or arts or whatever… there will always be talented children who will want to participate and this isn’t going to change. Children themselves and teens are a large consumer of entertainment as well. Yeah you maybe an adult who likes kpop but kpop was not meant for you it was meant to target other teens and kids in the idols demographic.

So the adults both watching idols and managing them at their companies need to behave better.

good point eyy!

I would like to at least have more regulation like how child film stars have in the US now. With maximum working hours, protecting monetary gains, having a representative, etc.

Quote from carrot-juice

There should be regulations made to protect these idols and trainees.A minor being subjected to the kind of power abuse that is so present in this industry is sickening.

Exactly! I know that after a bunch of cases of child star exploitation now child actors in the us have maximum working hours, a representative, and laws regarding their monetary gains. I highly doubt minor idols have access to stuff like this and they would be much more prone to exploitation. Man, even Lisa go scammed by her manager.

Quote from Kairina

i feel like the minimum should be 16 at least 14 years old is a big no

14 is

Man there are some talented kids, but knowing how the industry is I know they can be terribly exploited.

Quote from babybat

13-15 seems way too young to me to debut. 16 and up seems okay, still kind of young but not as bad i guess???

Well, at the very least there should be more regulation. Like max working hours, having a representative etc.

Quote from prodigy210

such nonsense if im a minor who can debut i want to debut as soon as possible and not be limited because some random person thinks they know whats in my best intrest

insightful.

Let's base regulations on what you would want if you were a minor.

Quote from Jichu

Well it would certainly be less of a headache. Would also help if kpop companies would stop being such creeps too sometimes with the concepts

See, I know it wouldn't be possible to get companies to not debut minors and that there are minors who want to debut. But at the very least there should be regulations on hours worked, concepts, monetary gains etc. Its far too exploitative for companies to have the control they have over these minor idols.

Quote from prodigy210

lets based it on idols who already grew up go ask any successful idol who debuted as a minor if they would refuse to do so if they could go back in time smh

yes, Imma go call some idols rn. Us randos on a kpop forum can definitely do that

Quote from kirishiki

Human brains are not fully developed until 25 years old so they should not decide to become idols before that. After 25 they can decide to become trainees if they still wanted to be idols and debut at 28 years old. Once they turn 30 they are too old already for kpop and should disband.

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Joking

IDOLS SHOULD ONLY DEBUT AT 35, just like the minimum age for someone to be president!!!

Quote from babybat

all groups would disband at 2 years. companies would be putting out groups constantly 🥴🥴 there would be like 700 groups per generation

Kpop needs more group saturation as it is eyy!!! lets disband groups faster as well!!!

Quote from caratnotcarrot

i always felt that idols should debut AT LEAST after they finish high school, not only for reasons like mental health and growth mentioned above but for practical reasons like just in case the group flops and disbands early in their career(which happens to like 90% of non-big4 groups), they can still pursue a university degree and get a decent job

i find it impractical for most(im saying most) to study and work at the same time, and being an idol is not like a part time job, it is in fact a full time one, the job is very time consuming and as someone in high school who studies almost 70% of my awake time during school terms and i know how hard you have to work to sustain high grades in high school, it's just impractical

I really side eye when idols drop out of hs. As much as I didn't like school, it still a very important developmental stage.

Quote from prodigy210

or just use common sense and realize no matter how hard it was they dont regret it and are happy they did it. They were able to reach their dreams at a young age. That is something to be praised and grateful for not pitied lmao. There's a reason idols talk about their struggle but i cant recall any successful idol say they regret debuting at a young age.

eyy! well, this is a very broad generalization. How does anyone know what idols really feel or think? Taeyeon talked about her struggles debuting at 18, IU talked about how much she struggled, etc.

Honestly, I'm just putting my opinion out there on a forum. You can't control what ppl think lol, and you cant know what your faves think so not you telling me you know what they want.

Quote from Zazatwin22

Im not generalizing but man lie, women lie, numbers do not lie. And the numbers say that these gg are still being HEAVILY supported. If the vocal people felt so strongly about this to the point they believe no minors should debut, how is supporting groups with minors in it going to help your cause.

I'm on a kpop forum lol, not starting a revolution. I just put my ideas out there. I think it would be nice to at least see more regulation and representation for minor idols.

but you are right about the numbers showing the truth. sigh,

Quote from Nyaz

All 15 years old when they debuted.......

BTS’s Jungkook

2NE1's Minzy

SOMI

IU

Miss A's Suzy

TVXQ's Changmin

IZ*ONE’s Ahn Yujin

ITZY's Yuna

We'd miss them if they hadn't become Idols. But i stand by opinion, 16 should be the norm.

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eyy! Well at the very least they need legal representation, minimum working hours etc

Quote from bunnyviolet

This is kind of the most... extreme case of exploitation, and the member in question hasn't formerly debuted with the group "yet", but I saw this on my timeline today, and it makes me want to gag. Like, what are people thinking???

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wtf.....

This is why we need regulation

Quote from prodigy210

Pretending my faves said something they havent would be pretending i know what my faves think. No idol have ever said debuting at a young age traumatized them to the point where they regret doing it so why would i pretend deep down this is how they actually feel. All idols go through struggles whether they debut old or young and talking about them does not mean they are regrets.

ok well, we're not going to agree on that so no point in further debating it. But would you support more regulations like maximum working hours, representation, and monetary regulation? I keep thinking about how lisa was scammed by her manager as an adult. I really doubt minors understand all of those things, and some of their contracts....

Quote from bunnyviolet

She has "collabed" with Girl Crush since she was 14 and dropped out of high school and has been doing photoshoots and other inappropriate covers too... it's insane that her parents and other people in her life has let this happen, and I really hope she is okay...

see, I can't help but wonder who controls these minor idols's money. are they represented properly?do they even have a say or a voice?

srsly, its a mess.

Quote from Jichu

I mean those aren't great examples since they made it big so of course, they probably don't have those regrets.

But I'm sure there's a decent chunk that weren't so lucky that might be regrets they haven't been expressed.

eyy! good point!

There are many groups that debut and disband/disapear. I think its hard for their voices to actually be heard?

Quote from prodigy210

max working hours exist as well as they cant work past a certain time. Their parents have to be their representation minor cant sign contracts without their parents or legal guardian. Also their parents should be responsible for monetary regulations as well. Being scammed by someone you trust will happen regardless if your a minor or not even in your own example of lisa what you are suggesting wouldnt have helped her since shes not a minor.

1.not being able to broadcast past 10 is not max working hours/limiting overwork

2.tbh parents don't always have the best intention, just look at the example bunny provided above. Her parents allowed that minor idol to be exploited.

3. The reason monetary regulations exist in the US is because PARENTS were taking/spending child stars' money

4. exploitation happens regardless and my point about Lisa was that she was an ADULT who experienced that, then imagine what MINORS could be going through

Quote from bunnyviolet

Sometimes adults fail or are negligent...

EXACTLY! that's why there needs to be regulation on WHAT CAN GO IN A CONTRACT. Parents are not always looking out for these minors like the example you provided!!!

In the US there were a bunch of cases of parents exploiting child stars, srsly.