Does putting an age limit for training or debuting members in KPOP industry unfair or clever?

Both

i think the agesim in kpop is really severe. kids like hyuna are debuting at 14 and getting sexualized, whereas people like kahi who basically built afterschool from the ground up was kicked out for being "too old" at 30

young = more time to promote = more time to earn money

Let's take GG for example debuting around 15 to 20 gives you the most time in your youthful years to earn money as an idol

Tell me an active idol (in a GG) that is over 30 there's probably none that's why Irene is referred to as a grandma. Secondly for females they may want to date/marry have kids it's pretty hard to do that whilst being an idol.

I'll leave you with this after Wonyoung's 7 year contract expires she will still be younger than when Irene debuted

Disadvantages

younger idols are constantly sexualized by both their companies and their fans for example Hyuna, Wonyoung, Tzuyu and Jungkook.

A lot of idols who debut younger seem to lack life skills outside of being an idol and are super dependent on the idol system that basically gives you a surrogate parent that does most things for you(a manager and to some extent a company) even into your adult years.

The idol industry encourages unrealistic and dangerous beauty standards that people that young should not be held to.

And idols are often overworked so if young kids are gonna be in the industry their should be precautions in place to ensure they are given times to rest such as those curfews for broadcasting that I've heard about but they would be extended to all work activity and not just filming on television.

there's advantages and disadvantages. While some regulations should be put into place, it wouldn't be fair that idols don't get to debut until older, while you have child actors working since they're in diapers.

They should, however, be some rules such as fewer working hours, ensuring they get proper sleep and some real education etc. It's baffling in a way that if an underaged person wants a job, they have all these serious restrictions, but they don't apply if that job is in entertainment.

I feel the major difference between a young trainee and an older trainee is their naivety. The younger lot don't know much about the industry or contracts negotiations and are easier to mould, control and manage. The ent industry goes on a fresh hunt every year to pick up people with stars in their eyes so the industry can milk them and replace them before they grow a mind of their own.

Whereas with the older idols it will be more difficult to negotiate contracts as they somewhat know how the real world works and a clearer idea of what they want in life. There is a bulb glowing for 130 years, it shows modern applainces are purposely made not to last, the same goes for the ent industry.

Wonyoung is balanced and loyal person so stay intelligent girl

Divinity girl

14 year olds should NOT be debuting

They definitely should do it! Kids have nth to do in that business.

I wouldnt let anyone younger than 18 (I will let 16 maybe too) to debut. Also, noone under 14 (again 12 can pass too MAYBE) should be trainee.

idk what kind of person over the age of 16 would want to train to be an idol anyways tbh

Quote from pwswan

Male idols could get their military service out of the way in their late teens like most Koreans and then debut.

Debut when exactly

If they go to military after school, let's say 18 or 19, they will be back by 20, 21 or 22. Then they need to train all again and will most likely not debut before their 23 or 24

Kpop main demography is teenagers and the main aesthetic and beauty standard is the flower boy. A group who consist in idols of of 23, 24, 25 and 26 years old guys is automatically doomed

Kids have no business in the industry no matter what anyone here thinks imo, and if the laws/policies were changed the industry and the society would have to adapt to it. That's ignoring that a lot of idols look way younger than they actually are anyway, so be it 20 and over or 18, the difference probably doesn't matter that much.

I also don't think that children should be training to debut from a young age, it makes much more sense for them to be in education or explore their hobbies through normal means, rather than being pushed into an environment of toxicity and unrealistic expectations. Healthy development is deeply important at these ages, and at the oldest I could only see a reason to give 16 year olds the opportunity to join an agency, though 18 would be preferable really.
Kids obviously learn quicker than adults, but if you have people who have pursued hobbies in dancing or singing they will be teachable, and will have had more experience than a child in learning dance moves or whatever else.

I could see companies giving some sort of support for children who have the skills to debut before say 16, and giving them ways to pursue their hobbies and skills, but beyond that ... nah.

I definitely think there should be age limits, no one below the age of 16 should debut and I think no trainees below the age of 14. 14/15 is just too young to debut, the workload is massive.

While I don't necessarily agree that idols should debut too young I believe that a person's mental is just as important.

That is children may not know certain things because of lack of experience but serendipity2000 below said it better.

Quote from Serendipity2000

I feel the major difference between a young trainee and an older trainee is their naivety. The younger lot don't know much about the industry or contracts negotiations and are easier to mould, control and manage. The ent industry goes on a fresh hunt every year to pick up people with stars in their eyes so the industry can milk them and replace them before they grow a mind of their own.

Whereas with the older idols it will be more difficult to negotiate contracts as they somewhat know how the real world works and a clearer idea of what they want in life. There is a bulb glowing for 130 years, it shows modern applainces are purposely made not to last, the same goes for the ent industry.

However that's why I sometimes compare idols to other intense professions such as professional athletics or sports

Take something like gymnastics where the younger the better and they train just as much (probably more physically but just not as much time wise) than trainee idols or basketball where if you're good enough you can apply to be drafted right out of high school which is a similar age to the average debut age of an idol.

I also disagree with Merpedy rather than me posting the full quote because of the above reasons (ie. sports) and also what if its the kid's hobby to sing and dance - we know lots of kids studied/trained to be a good dancer even before they started thinking about being an idol - eg Lisa and Momo at 3 they didn't do it because they wanted to be idols at 3 but they really liked dancing. Why limit that child's hobbies merely because of age?

And if i know correctly those child idols still have to go to school I know wonyoung's at Sopa and that Somi/Ryujin/Chaeryoung graduted Hanlim last year so they do still go to school

When you talk about toxicity and unrealistic expectation - i completely agree with that but that issue is targeted at the industry as a whole and is not just limited to the young.

Quote from pwswan

A 2AM/Vromance type group could work.

Vromance was a flop and 2AM was very short lived, no attempts of recreating a successor was done.

Maybe 1 or 2 groups per generation can try to deviate of the formula, but idol business thrives based on the sucessful young boygroups with flower boys image, companies will never give up a time-tested format that has been consolidated for over 20 years already

Correction, companies will give up once this formula saturates and meets no market demand anymore, this scenario is not happening anytime soon

Quote from nityasingh

Disadvantages:-

1. A loophole that eliminates artistic people to not pursue their dreams just because of their age. Well, I can reason why most of the companies wouldn't accept a male trainee in his 26 or 27 to debut because military services means halting group activities. But I don't find the reason to not accept a female trainee in her 25+ age fair. ( I know with age adult's body do give up, especially in KPOP but for me, 25 to 35 age range isn't that much to limit someone's talent).
2. Overworking younger teens will have bad effects on their mental as well as physical health.

So what yall think about this?

A Korean male by the time they are 25 should have already served his time in the military, unless they went to College first.