KBS Japan confirmed to have canceled the K-pop survival program Under 15 or Under Fifteen during the ongoing child s*xualization accusations. Under 15, a K-pop survival show featuring contestants under the age of fifteen, garnered massive criticism from the audience ahead of its official broadcast.The show was originally planned to be released on the South Korean entertainment channel MBN in March 2025. However, the showmakers and the production team were accused of exploiting children under the label of creating K-pop groups with young talent. Due to the public outrage, MBN canceled the release of the program.On August 9, 2025, Under 15 confirmed a release through KBS Japan, a subsidiary of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), which is widely known for airing Japanese content. Notably, the survival program was set to be aired internationally, rather than in South Korea.Additionally, the name of the show was also changed to 'A Star Is Born,' which was set to air on August 11, 2025, at 4:50 pm JST. However, the s*xualization controversy did not settle, enraging several netizens. On the same day, KBS Japan announced the show would be scrapped from their upcoming show lineup.About Music @AboutMusicYTLINKPreviously canceled kpop idol show, Under Fifteen, is set to premiere in Japan.KBS Japan issues an official statement on the cancellation of Under 15’s premiereAccording to News1, on August 9, 2025, KBS Japan responded to the growing backlash over the premiere of Under 15, also known as A Star Is Born. The channel stated that the show's premiere went through several discussions. Furthermore, public opinion over the release of the show was taken into consideration, resulting in its cancellation.They wrote:"KBS Japan received the intention to air 'A Star Is Born' and discussed airing it after internal and external review and various consultations but ultimately decided not to air it on the channel considering the strong public opinion at home and abroad."KBS, also known as the Korean Broadcasting System, became a subject of ongoing criticism. However, KBS Japan stated that the parent company is only a major shareholder and had no say in the decision-making of its Japanese subsidiary.They said:"KBS Japan is a separate corporation with its subsidiary KBS Media as its largest shareholder, and KBS Japan's programming rights are independently held by KBS Japan.”Under 15's production team Crea Studio's previous statement빵끝 @wnyostummehrLINKWe firmly condemn the audition show that uses barcodes to promote girls as young as eight years old. Such exploitation is absolutely unacceptable. Today, the Women’s Party held a press conference in front of the MBN headquarters, calling for the cancellation of Under Fifteen andUnder 15 faced s*xualization allegations once the show's early promotions commenced. This was because the children were reportedly observed dressing up in outfits deemed inappropriate for their age and wearing full-face makeup, sparking online debate among the Korean public as well as international K-pop fans.Furthermore, the profile images of the participants displayed a barcode, further fueling controversy as many netizens interpreted it to be s*xual objectification of the kids.Crea Studio CEO Seo Hye-jin, in a press conference in March 2025, explained:“The designer is a female in her 30s. We thought of this (audition show) set as a school. We thought they were here to receive training from good teachers. The concept (for the content) was a student ID. It's an image that comes up immediately when you search on Google. Modern student ID cards include barcodes and birthdates, but we couldn't include birthdates. So, we only included ages instead.”Additionally, Crea Studio authorities also issued a formal apology in the press conference for causing misunderstanding and controversy due to the concept and ideation of the show. As per the latest update, the show will not premiere on KBS Japan.