Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Discomfort about kids on television
MBC TV’s “Dad, Where Are We Going?”
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Mnet’s “Voice Korea Kids” / Korea Times file
By Kwon Mee-yoo
More and more television programs have been using children as their main stars and getting higher viewer ratings in return, proving that fun, cute and whimsical are the smart ways to go in family entertainment.
However, experts question whether the networks are overusing or even exploiting children for viewership and raise concerns about the level of stress the young stars are exposed to.
MBC’s "Dad, Where Are We Going?,’’ which groups a number of male celebrities and their children on humorous camping missions, and Mnet’s "Voice Korea Kids,’’ a reality singing contest for children between the ages of six and 14, are two of the most-watched shows on television now. And it seems they equally discomfort critics.
The producers of ``Dad’’ rely on capturing the reactions of children after putting them in unfamiliar situations to provide humor. In Sunday’s episode, Youn Hu, 6, son of pop singer Youn Min-su and Lee Jun-su, 5, son of actor Lee Jong-hyuk, were sent on a mission to buy some rice as their fathers prepared to cook camping food.
Sung Jun, 6, son of another actor Sung Dong-il, was paired with Song Ji-a, 5, daughter of footballer Song Chong-gug, to buy groceries such as meat, fish and kimchi. Things get interesting when Ji-a loses focus and tries to look around a traditional outdoor market. Jun ends up carrying the shopping basket alone and struggles to bring Ji-a back to camp.
Kim Hye-won, an office worker in her 30s, said she is a fan of "Dad’’ and finds Hu particularly adorable.
"It is really adorable to see the children make friends and communicate with their fathers,” she said.
Compared to "Dad,’’ which banks on the innocence and natural emotions of children,"Voice Korea Kids’’ throws their young participants into a cut-throat competition that could make grown-ups cringe. Well, at least the three judges of the talent show ― Yoon Sang, Seo In-young and Yang Yo-seop ― seem to be more Mr. Rodgers than Simon Cowell.
Kim Myung-ju, the 13-year-old winner of the first competition, captivated the audience with her version of the Kim Soo-chul song "A Flower That Hasn’t Blossomed All the Way.’’ Previously, it would have been hard to find an under-40 Korean who knew the song.
Myung-ju said winning “Voice Korea Kids” brought her one step closer to her dream of becoming a singer and is grateful for Yang Yo-seop, the coach who helped her improving singing ability.
Experts worry about unexpected changes and side effects children might go through after appearing on the small screen.
Kwak Keum-joo, a Seoul National University psychology professor, said parents and the broadcasters should be cautious in putting their children in front of cameras. "These children are becoming new stars, but people are relatively ignorant about the frustration and emotional injury they might get from the public response," Kwak said.
Broadcasting stations are taking measures to protect the child stars. MBC asked the parents of five children of "Dad’’ not to let the children watch the show, give feedback or allow them to be interviewed. "MBC is obliged to protect the innocence of childhood," a spokeswoman said.