It's not uncommon for idols to debut at a young age.
However, the average age of idol groups has been decreasing year by year.
Is this really "normal"?
And what will happen to idols when they debut too early?
Young idols debut: Pressure is always present
Debuting as an idol at a young age is not a new thing in Kpop.
While in the past idols debuted at the age of 15-16 such as BoA, SeoHyun (SNSD), Taemin
(SHINee), Krystal - Sulli (f(x)), Minzy (2ne1), Jisung (NCT Dream), Wonyoung (Iz*One) were
considered too young, now idols debuting at the age of 13, 14 is becoming a normal thing
From around 2020 until now, there have been many young idols who debuted at the age of
13-14 such as Niki (Enhypen), Leeseo (IVE), Jongseob (P1 Harmony), Boeun (CLASS:y), Hyein
(NewJeans),etc and this list will continue to get longer and longer.
Aside from their early success, young idols have to face a lot of pressure and negative
impacts, both at the present time and in the future.
Following that, they have to temporarily put aside their studies, work for up to 20 hours
a day despite not being of legal age, and deal with many other issues.
The risk of becoming a victim of sexual abuse
Young idols debuting at an early age have raised many concerns among Kpop fans, including
the risk of becoming a victim of sexual abuse.
According to The Korea Times, there are cases of young trainees being forced, exploited,
and sexually harassed in the Korean entertainment industry.
Evidence of this is a series of shocking scandals of sexual harassment of minors.
In 2012, Jang Seok Woo, CEO of Open World Entertainment, was arrested for allegedly
sexually abusing trainees, some of whom were minors.
Singer Kim So Hee revealed that her former manager had repeatedly harassed her while
she was still in high school.
Six trainees from the survival show "Produce 101" sued their agency's CEO, claiming to
have been sexually assaulted by him in 2019.
Working too hard and not getting enough rest
Kpop fans are perhaps too familiar with the sight of many idols under 18 having to leave
entertainment events or livestreams early due to the "curfew" (10 pm).
This is because South Korea has enacted the "curfew" law for young artists since 2014.
This law prohibits singers and actors who are under the legal age from participating
in performances and working overnight to ensure their basic rights to study, rest, and sleep.
Individuals who violate the law will face 2 years imprisonment or a fine of $10,000
for abusing minors.
However, there are still many companies that bypass the law.
They force trainees aged 9-16 to starve themselves to lose weight and to work 18 hours a day
until many are exhausted.
The rigorous training schedule lasts from 5 am to 11 pm, undergoing harsh monthly evaluations,
and if they do not meet the standards, they will be immediately eliminated.
Unstable psychology leading to serious consequences Some experts in the industry argue that idols
who debut too young have to pay dearly for it.
Ha Jae Koon, a popular culture critic, says, "Debuting as an idol at a young age means
that they can miss out on a lot of experiences."
In fact, it is also evident that young idols often have to put their studies on hold, lack
interaction with peers, and face immense psychological pressure.
Lim Myung-ho, a psychology professor at Dankook University who specializes in child and adolescent
psychology, says, "Idols or young trainees need to participate in a relatively independent
training program.
Therefore, they will undoubtedly lack interaction with friends, and this will certainly affect
their psychological development and coping mechanisms later."
In fact, there are a lot of Young idols who have been criticized many times for their
lack of sophistication, arrogance, or trying to appear as adults.
It is difficult to blame them for their attitudes and actions when the companies have not paid
enough attention to the psychological issues of young trainees and idols.
Before their debut, idols are trained for at least 3 years, meaning they have to dance,
sing, and behave appropriately from as early as 5th grade.
Most of them cannot focus on studying in school, struggle with social interactions, and are
attached to the practice room.
Therefore, many idols are "shocked" when facing reality, and then they are criticized for
their actions as teenagers.
As young "stars," idols often face emotional control issues or stress.
they often have to act normal and laugh it off when faced with criticism and harsh comments.
When the negative comments become more frequent and intense, these idols fall into a state
where they cannot cope with them and end up self-destructive.
So, lack of social communication and immature psychology are significant issues for idols
who are not yet adults.
Furthermore, idols always feel restricted and oppressed because they have to maintain
their image and be careful with every action and gesture in front of the public.
This is the age of physiological and psychological changes, a period when they want to be free
and have a wandering mind.
if the pressures from outside are fortunately not too intense, idols can withdraw and recover
their mental state.
However, if the pressure is too great, they may end up with extreme decision, and the
saddest case that serves as evidence for this is Sulli (f(x)).
Struggling and having to conform to the image of "adults"
Apart from the psychological issues, young idols also have to face numerous other problems.
One of them is the pressure and constraint to conform to the image that their management
company creates for them.
Songs with deep and hidden meanings about love are always popular and prevalent in the
music market, including Kpop.
And if you become an idol, whether you are 14 or 18 years old, you have to perform songs
with love themes.
Imagine young girls and boys who are only 14 years old having to perform songs with
heartbreaking and emotional content, Isn’t it too much for these young souls?
Moreover, many companies even add implicit and ambiguous lyrics, which carry rather "dark"
meanings to increase the discussion and attraction for the song.
For example, the song "Cookie" (by New Jeans) has such controversial lyrics: "If you want,
you can take it.
If you want, just tell me you want it more."
This song was obviously composed by an adult about some sensual activities, but the performers
were young girls who were only teenagers, and the youngest member was even 12 years
old at that time.
In addition to inappropriate lyrics, dance and stage performances are also a big issue
for young idols.
The youngest member Eun Chae (Le Sserafim) once caused controversy when performing a
provocative dance in "Fearless" MV even though she was only 16 years old, and that received
so much criticism that the group had to change the choreography, replacing it with another
one when performing on stage.
When it comes to Kpop groups, performance costumes are also a noticeable factor.
Wearing attractive and confident-boosting costumes is a good thing, but the boundary
between that and revealing costumes is very fragile.
For example, Yuna (Itzy) was once heavily criticized for wearing an inappropriate costume
while promoting the song "Loco." which was designed with revealing cut-outs that were
too daring and were considered too mature for her age of 18.
Uncertain future where idols can easily fall into the "early bloom, early fade" situation
The average lifespan of K-pop groups is only about 7 years, after which they are likely
to disband.
Therefore, if an idol debuts at the age of 14, they will retire at the age of 21, which
is a very young age compared to the average age for people to complete their university
education.
On the other hand, if idols debut at the age of 18, they will retire at the age of 25-26,
which is enough time for them to determine their own path and build their own lives.
When they are part of a group, idols have the support and benefits from their management
company and the group's popularity.
But when they go solo, there is no guarantee for their future.
Although there are cases where some idols can maintain a stable solo career after the
end of their contracts and leave the group, such as Tae Yeon (SNSD), CL (2ne1), HyunA
(4Minute), etc.
That doesn't always happen and the rest of the members have to struggle to find their
place in the entertainment industry.
For example Minzy (2ne1), Tiffany (SNSD), Hyo Rin, SoYou (Sistar), and others Some of
them switched to acting, but they are still facing challenges and struggling to break
free from the label of being a "one-hit wonder" or a "mobile flowerpot.".
Going back to the issue of idols debuting too early and retiring too soon, they often
have to give up their education, not having a university degree, and sometimes not even
finishing high school.
While South Korea places a great emphasis on education, degrees, and social status,
this makes it difficult for early-retired idols to find jobs they desire, thus forcing
them to take classes from scratch to earn a degree.
The trend of rejuvenating the debut age being likely to continue in the near future
Despite criticisms and signs of psychological harm.
This phenomenon is gradually becoming ingrained in the mold of the Kpop industry.
Currently, a Kpop idol is required to have a diverse skill set, responsibility, and high
standards set by the public.
Therefore, idols undoubtedly are still facing a lot of pressure.
Thus, management companies need to support the mental health of young artists in the
best possible way.
So, do you think rejuvenating the debut age of idols is an inevitable phenomenon in the
K-pop industry or is it a forced thing that needs to be eliminated?