She's a great addition to the group. Is popular and Koreans love her.
The rest is just noise.
idc what anyone says, i love her.
She's a great addition to the group. Is popular and Koreans love her.
The rest is just noise.
rather than her being unpopular or popular it’s a problem of age ,, 14 is and has always been way too young
even some young debuted idols from 2nd gen have said they wished they debuted later on
but it’s too late to do anything about it , so all the fans have to do is shield her from anything harmful
But it is a problem to debut an idol at a young age, they made good points. These people are still developing children. Possible scandals(like Tzuyu's when she was super young), the rigorous training and diets of the industry, sexualization by fans or the company are all very real issues they have to face. These kids should be worrying about the grades they're getting in school, not all this.
Nothing we can really do though, especially since this doesn't just happen in the KPOP industry. It's always been this way too, BoA debuted at like 13.
She's a great addition to the group. Is popular and Koreans love her.
The rest is just noise.
It really shows the difference in Western and Eastern perceptions.
The video listed off a bunch of examples of 14 and 15 year old idols and of course a 13 year old BOA.
Most if not all turned out just fine.
rather than her being unpopular or popular it’s a problem of age ,, 14 is and has always been way too young
even some young debuted idols from 2nd gen have said they wished they debuted later on
but it’s too late to do anything about it , so all the fans have to do is shield her from anything harmful
But I don't think it's an across the board sort of thing.
Some idols seem ready earlier.
BoA debuted solo at 14 I believe and became a legend.
As long as parents are supportive, I am not opposed to younger idols debuting.
I think it should be left up to their guardians and companies, ultimately.
And I'm not in favor or restrictive caps making idols wait if they feel ready.
It's their lives.
That said, if a cap is necessary, I think 16 is a good age personally as a minimum target.
It's the age when high school kids are commonly in competitive dance and cheerleading and the like. They're growing into adults.
And I think should be allowed to pursue their careers and dreams.
Display MoreI think it should be left up to their guardians and companies, ultimately.
And I'm not in favor or restrictive caps making idols wait if they feel ready.
And don't think fans are entitled to dictate.
It's their lives.
to their guardians yes (and even here some can't be trusted to take care of their kids), but to their companies? 
The company for sure does not have the best interest of the idols in mind..
Also every 14 year old probably thinks they're ready, so also not the best judges
rather than her being unpopular or popular it’s a problem of age ,, 14 is and has always been way too young
even some young debuted idols from 2nd gen have said they wished they debuted later on
but it’s too late to do anything about it , so all the fans have to do is shield her from anything harmful
I think people sometimes forget that being kpop idol is WORK, not hobby (like when some of us play volleyball, for example, and we have practice every day). Being kpop idols is work and this is basically child labor.
It really shows the difference in Western and Eastern perceptions.
The video listed off a bunch of examples of 14 and 15 year old idols and of course a 13 year old BOA.
Most if not all turned out just fine.
None of them turned fine. They are maybe rich now but almost all of them have huge mental problems, they missed their school, normal childhood, time with their friends and family. BoA also has aversion to vegetable because she had to go through extreme diets ever since she was little.
to their guardians yes (and even here some can't be trusted to take care of their kids), but to their companies?
Also every 14 year old probably thinks they're ready, so also not the best judges
Well ultimately responsibility lies with parents in my minds. But there's no getting around that companies play a part in development of careers. I don't see them as evil entities in that regard. Parents have to work with companies to guide their kids careers. That was more the point I was making. Less that the company should do whatever it wanted.
And to your point about every teen thinking they're ready. That's often true.
And I think philosophically we have to maintain a balance.
Balancing a young person's right to self determination with restrictions to shield them to the extent we can from exploitation or manipulation and abuse.
That's why I ultimately would be in favor of 16 as a standard, if a minimum is required. They are old enough I think they have a right to dictate their future. Ideally this would be done with strong support and supervision of caring parents.
What the average Korean students is put through (ungodly hours studying and doing other busy work) is as inhumane as forced labor, yet they ain't getting paid for shit doing it. Just for a slim chance that one day (maybe) make a lot of money after graduating and finding a high salary job.
An idol, if they have a good company and good parents, would have a MUCH better life if they can deal with the stresses of being an idol. Not everyone is the same. They may be able to easily cope with all the problems idols face, and end up being set for life if they are one of the few gifted teens like Leeseo clearly is.
Yes, debuting as an underage idol is not for everyone. But there's nothing wrong with having a few exceptions. Not everyone if born to live a life of mediocrity. Some at their youth can already be destined for bigger and better things than 99% of the masses.
What the average Korean students is put through (ungodly hours studying and doing other busy work) is as inhumane as forced labor, yet they ain't getting paid for shit doing it. Just for a slim chance that one day (maybe) make a lot of money after graduating and finding a high salary job.
An idol, if they have a good company and good parents, would have a MUCH better life if they can deal with the stresses of being an idol. Not everyone is the same. They may be able to easily cope with all the problems idols face, and end up being set for life if they are one of the few gifted teens like Leeseo clearly is.
Yes, debuting as an underage idol is not for everyone. But there's nothing wrong with having a few exceptions. Not everyone if born to live a life of mediocrity. Some at their youth can already be destined for bigger and better things than 99% of the masses.
Everything you wrote is just one big IF.
Kpop industry is not safe for anyone, especially not kids. Their life, even when they are successful, is not that glamorous at all. That's naive belief.
I mean they’re not wrong. The fact that has happened before (and not only in kpop, child stars have been a thing since god knows when) doesn’t make it ok. But that also ain’t gonna chance anytime soon. At the end of the day their parents gave their permission so what can you do about it.
And it’s not only Leeseo either. Pnation’s upcoming boy group has a member that is 12 (I follow them closely and I always feel a bit uneasy when I think about it ngl), that My Teenage Girl show has a bunch of really young girls with the youngest being 10(!), Mnet released application details for Boys Planet and 08 liners can apply. It’s getting a bit crazy.
At this point best thing IVE stans can do is try to shield her as much as they can from all the creeps. Kpop has a lot of them.
What the average Korean students is put through (ungodly hours studying and doing other busy work) is as inhumane as forced labor, yet they ain't getting paid for shit doing it. Just for a slim chance that one day (maybe) make a lot of money after graduating and finding a high salary job.
An idol, if they have a good company and good parents, would have a MUCH better life if they can deal with the stresses of being an idol. Not everyone is the same. They may be able to easily cope with all the problems idols face, and end up being set for life if they are one of the few gifted teens like Leeseo clearly is.
Yes, debuting as an underage idol is not for everyone. But there's nothing wrong with having a few exceptions. Not everyone if born to live a life of mediocrity. Some at their youth can already be destined for bigger and better things than 99% of the masses.
Work is work and studying is studying. The issue in the case of kpop is that as minors, they are more vulnerable when it comes to managing their finances, work schedules, and their rights in general. Especially since they are away from their guardians, and most companies have very questionable ethics.
Also being an idol doesn't necessarily make you better than working a "regular job". You can be an idol and be mediocre, and you can be a regular person with a very successful life. Most idols do not even make that much money, and a lot of them are not the most talented people in the world. Mediocrity has nothing to do with this.
Also there is a huge possibility that a lot of these children have stage parents.
I think it's important to be honest with these types of conversations. There is a plethora of issues that come with signing a work contract while underage. I didn't watch the video so don't know if it was brought up, but some idols who debuted young also tend to become immature adults, as they have never gotten to truly adult on their own.
All in all, I think it is fantastic that young idols can live their passion to the fullest from a young age, but the kpop industry does not seem sufficiently equipped to protect them.
Everything in life is an IF. Vaccine trials usually take many years of research and even Pfizer asked for a 75 years extension until the full vaccine research data can be publicly released. But due to circumstances they had to be given an exemption by the experts and authorities. You have to be realistic, rather than dogmatic, and weight your risks and rewards. If done properly, there's no reason for her to not reach her dream and financial security, just because some random strangers don't like the idea of a few young idol. But as usual armchair people always think they know what's best, and not the experts in the industry who know better when exceptions can be made.
Yeahhhh being successful ≠ no problems.
Hell, not saying we should assume anything, but looking fine on camera doesn't mean they are fine irl either... It's just not a good indicator.
Display MoreWork is work and studying is studying. The issue in the case of kpop is that as minors, they are more vulnerable when it comes to managing their finances, work schedules, and their rights in general. Especially since they are away from their guardians, and most companies have very questionable ethics.
Also being an idol doesn't necessarily make you better than working a "regular job". You can be an idol and be mediocre, and you can be a regular person with a very successful life. Most idols do not even make that much money, and a lot of them are not the most talented people in the world. Mediocrity has nothing to do with this.
Also there is a huge possibility that a lot of these children have stage parents.
I think it's important to be honest with these types of conversations. There is a plethora of issues that come with signing a work contract while underage. I didn't watch the video so don't know if it was brought up, but some idols who debuted young also tend to become immature adults, as they have never gotten to truly adult on their own.
All in all, I think it is fantastic that young idols can live their passion to the fullest from a young age, but the kpop industry does not seem sufficiently equipped to protect them.
That's why I think it should be a balanced approached. Have regulations that protect the few underage idols that exist. Adults and kids can be exploited. Yet kids have less experience and authority, so that makes them more vulnerable. But, there's more incentive for the people around them to protect kids: their family, their coworkers and their group members. That's why Korean society gives a lot of significance to the title of "maknae", because the youngest (especially underage) are those their older peers and instructors have to protect and take care of the most.
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