Why 'kid idols' stir debate

"Little Cheer Girl." Courtesy of Rainbow Company

By Dong Sun-hwa, Park Han-sol

With K-pop's global ascent, more diverse groups are springing up on the Korean music scene.

One such example is "kid idols," a term which refers to young singers mostly aged between 9 and 14. Just like older K-pop acts, kid idols such as "Little Cheer Girl" and "Vitamin" put on fancy costumes and makeup and perform less-powerful, but still polished dance routines. The themes of their songs seem to be the only difference ― these young stars mostly sing about childhood crushes and stress from studying, captivating followers of comparable age.

"I can relate to their lyrics because we share similar concerns, like getting stressed about school," Ha Yae-rin, 12, told The Korea Times. "The singers are my age, so I feel closer to them and would love to be a member if I can."

In fact, about 300-500 children in Korea applied for an audition to become new members of "Little Cheer Girl," according to Kim Tai-bum, CEO of Rainbow Company, the agency representing the group.

Objectification and commercialization of children?

But not everyone welcomes the rise of kid idols.

Unlike child actors, these young singers have stirred debate from the onset for looking "excessively similar" to grown-up stars, and many claim their musical activities commercialize and objectify children. Although the idols' creators, including Kim, insist they launched the groups to help the young tackle challenges and achieve dreams, concerns are still growing.

"It is disturbing to see how people objectify little girls and boys," said Lee Hyo-in, an elementary school teacher in her 20s. "I am worried that children, who come across this content featuring kid idols, will unconsciously believe pedophilia is something unproblematic."

Pop culture critic Kim Hern-sik also pointed out that the young idols could fall prey to sex crimes.

"Compared to other countries, Korea tends to pay less attention to the issues associated with commercialization and objectification of children," Kim told The Korea Times, Thursday. "Some capitalize on this to rationalize their improper sexual behavior toward young kids."

He added: "The country needs proper regulations to protect this young talent. As of now, they should focus on maintaining a social media presence instead of seeking to appear on the small screen."

Lookism?

Kid idol group LISO. Courtesy of Rainbow Company

Kwak Keum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University, touched on the issue of "lookism".

"Kid idols can promote lookism especially among young fans," she said. "People ― usually adults ― find it uncomfortable to see children wearing makeup because the youngsters do not look 'childlike' in their eyes."

Critic Kim elaborated on this point saying, "Parents are particularly anxious because they know how influential idol stars are to their children. Although there are more crucial values in life, lookism can drive kids to think that appearance is of prime importance."

Kim Tai-bum said he could not deny lookism was inherent in young idols, but added the company had been striving to lead them in the right direction by instilling appropriate values in the children.

Lack of proper education?

Kid idol group "Vitamin." Courtesy of Clevr E&M

Young stars' psychological and educational needs are another hot talking point.

Rainbow Company organizes regular counseling sessions with the members and their parents "to maintain the balance among the children's school, family and idol life." The sessions center on their mental health and future career path among other issues.

The CEO also claimed that the firm provided dance and vocal classes only twice a week and scheduled major events mostly on weekends so as not to disrupt members' school life.

But this has not alleviated people's worries.

Kwon Mi-yeon, a woman in her 20s who works at a marketing firm, said: "Kid idols are training and performing at a time when it is important to develop social skills and self-identity. Suffering from a comparatively hectic schedule and malicious comments online, they will easily get stressed at such a young age."

Kwak said, "Even older K-pop idols are often under psychological distress. They have lacked time and opportunity to receive proper education for growth as they usually become trainees from an early age."

However, as the demand for kid idols is still expected to grow ― since the number of people wishing to become a star from a young age has been increasing after a wave of Korean celebrities attaining international stardom ― Kwak offered the following advice: "It will certainly be more stressful for children to overcome hardships when their heyday ends in the near future. Hence, they need appropriate psychological help from grown-ups from the beginning."

Critic Kim warned that kid idols could lose their identity and independence because they had to follow the directions of their agency. He added, "Teenagers should have enough time for self-introspection, but if they begin their career prematurely, they can easily be exploited by the adults who prioritize profits over the children's wellbeing. Therefore, I do not think young people should put aside study or thinking about possible career choices while working (in this industry)."