How old do you think someone should be when they debut? (1 Viewer)

[Wingfrost]

It seems that companies are wanting to debut trainees as young as 12 now (I even heard of someone possibly debuting at just 9) It used to be that 13 and 15 was stretching it, as the individual is still quite young and could possibly realize too late that the idol life isn’t what they really wanted and also realize they just spent a number of months or years training when they could of had a childhood. It could also prove to just be too much physically and mentally for a child, we already now how difficult it is for grown adults so why put a child into that kind of environment?
Even just being a trainee as a child is probably extremely difficult and I think once they would debut it would be much worse.
I’ve always thought 16 is an okay enough age, but I still feel the contract should be different for those that aren’t legally adults. Binding a 12 year old or even a 16 year old to a 7 year contract is too much (or really anyone at any age).
But anyways, how old do you guys think someone should be at the time they debut?​

 

[Yili]

17-18 maybe minimum? Idk Im not a good judge

 

[Ahsoka]

I mean its hard to really say considering Zelo and Taemin were both 14 and they did a great job but I feel like 16 is an okay age. No hate to those who are younger, I'm just not sure that the majority of them are ready yet.

 

[Wingfrost]

17-18 maybe minimum? Idk Im not a good judge

Ideally I think that’s better than 16

 

[Wingfrost]

I mean its hard to really say considering Zelo and Taemin were both 14 and they did a great job but I feel like 16 is an okay age. No hate to those who are younger, I'm just not sure that the majority of them are ready yet.

Very true, I can understand that.

 

[athenaaa]

No younger than 14-15

 

[Juniverse]

I feel like whatever I say will be hypocritical because one of my ults is 14 in international age

But around 16, maybe?

 

[Wingfrost]

I feel like whatever I say will be hypocritical because one of my ults is 14 in international age

But around 16, maybe?

I don’t think it’s hypocritical, one of your ults just happened to debut at a younger age.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I feel like 18 should be the youngest. I think they should be able to take courses & classes (training) to maybe help them get to a certain level at that age maybe and then kind of go into the actual career field. I feel like with trainees are younger and it makes it so its easier to take advantage of them even if when they get older they still are at the companies mercy. But yeah.

 

[Villains]

I think 16-18 should be the youngest

 

[CosmicNightmare]

maybe this is a bit extreme, but i don't think idols should debut until they've graduated high school at least. that probably sounds odd coming from me since i do stan idols that debuted pretty young (i literally stan BoA who debuted at 13), but i've never been a fan of young people being in the idol industry, or any entertainment industry for that matter.

 

[Cris]

I wish idols didn't have to debut before 18 for a variety of reasons, especially since the difference between each year when you're in your teens is actually very wide when it comes to your mental capacity and your ability to adapt and respond to things properly. That being said, with how Korea's system functions, I think 16 is the best compromise but debuting younger than that could be very harmful for the idols and leave them quite vulnerable to exploitation.