Netizens Discuss Whether Minors Should Debut After Starship Entertainment Reveals IVE’s Lineup

The maknae’s age sparked discussion among netizens.

Starship Entertainment recently announced their newest girl group, a six-member team called IVE. The members were revealed one by one starting November 2 on Twitter, through tweets including the idol’s name, photographs, and their birthday. Fans were ecstatic to see familiar names like Yujin and Wonyoung from IZ*ONE in the lineup, but many expressed worries after seeing the young age of the group’s maknae.

Leeseo of IVE. | @IVEstarship/Twitter

Gaeul is the eldest of the group, born in 2002, and four other members were born in between 2003-2004. The youngest, Leeseo, was born on February 21, 2007, making her 14 years old. Numerous netizens shared their opinions regarding children debuting in K-Pop, with many stating that it can be harmful to them.

Furthermore, some urged K-Pop companies to establish a minimum age for idols to prevent minors from debuting. A common sentiment is that nobody under the age of 18 should be debuted.

However, some defended Starship Entertainment’s decision to debut Leeseo by referencing numerous idols who also debuted at a young age. These include SHINee‘s Taeminf(x)‘s Krystal, and NCT‘s Jisung, who all debuted at 14 years old.

But others were quick to reply that many idols who debuted at a young age experienced hardships that children should not be exposed to.

Fans also defended Leeseo against unfair treatment and harsh online criticism. Many stated that the debate surrounding how young is too young to debut should be centered around the companies making the final decision, not the idols themselves.

The discussion of whether minors should debut has been going on for years, and will likely continue for years to come. Just a few months ago, a 7-year-old idol grabbed netizens’ attention and sparked conversation. Many believe that it is normal for idols to debut young as long as they are well protected. On the other hand, a growing conversation around the mental health of idols has contributed to concerns over people debuting too young.

Source: Twitter
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