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On April 27, LeanBranding, an entertainment company, unveiled the logo of its upcoming K-pop girl group, KIIRAS. Shortly after, the company introduced the group's members. One particular member quickly caught fans' attention and sparked widespread discussion.
ROAH, the fifth member introduced, was reportedly born in 2011. Upon discovering that the youngest member is only 13 years old, fans expressed outrage. Many took to X to express their anger at the label's decision. One X user wrote:
"can we not support this please"
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"I’m still so pissed they HAD to include someone born after 2010 was 5 members not enough" a user wrote
"younger than my middle schooler brother omg.." another user wrote
"yup i’m out sorry lingling" a fan wrote
The fans' reaction to the debut of the underage member was intense. As ROAH is just 13 years old, many fans expressed that it is wrong to have such a young talent debut.
"If you support this group and are over 18 you are a p*do" a user wrote
"im certain i wont stan any new group if they'll continue to debut middle schoolers" another user replied
"everyone who's supporting this group knowing that the youngest is literally 14, is extremely weird and I do not trust you" an X user commented
These allegations come amidst the recent controversy surrounding the music survival show Under Fifteen, which features members aged 15 or younger. The backlash from netizens centers around concerns for the well-being of young talents from the harsh realities of the entertainment world.
All you need to know about K-pop girl group KIIRAS
KIIRAS is a six-member girl group under LeadBranding. The members are Lingling, Kylie, Kurumi, Harin, Doyeon, and ROAH. The group's logo features a pink cowboy hat adorned with a few diamond-encrusted studs. The image also includes the date May 29, 2025, hinting at the group's debut.
KIIRAS is also gaining attention for debuting the first-ever Malaysian K-pop idol, the group's leader, Lingling. She previously appeared on the survival show I-LAND 2: N/a, which formed the group izna. Kurumi is the only Japanese member in the group.
This is not the first time that KIIRAS' member ROAH, whose real name is Kim Ha-jeong, has been in the spotlight. She has appeared on talent shows like Pocket TV and had a small role in JTBC's drama Atypical Family.
The label has not yet responded to the backlash from netizens. As the group's debut date draws close, further updates are expected to be shared on its official social media accounts.
