Panda Boys, China’s new children’s band, debuted on August 21 with their first song and music video, a pop synth number with a rap and Chinese opera pie. But just three days later, the group disbanded, after screams on social media during its young age and exploitation concerns.
The seven members, christened “puppies” in promotional materials by their talent agency, range in age from 7 to 11 years old. Photos from her official social media account show the baby-faced boys with carefully pleated makeup and hair, covered in miniature blazers and street-style joggers.
The Panda Boys “have officially embarked on a new journey,” Asia Starry Sky Group, the band’s management agency, posted on Saturday on Chinese social media platform Weibo after the band’s debut. He added that the children had spent their summer holidays “with sweat and tears” to “place themselves on the stage of dreams”.
But his debut quickly provoked criticism and shock from social media users, who pointed to children as a sign of China’s intense “idol” industry going too far.
The idol industry, also seen in Japan and South Korea, recruits aspiring pop stars often at an early age, making them spend intense months training. Participants usually participate in talent-style competitions before making a big debut, with several rounds of voting and performances. Sometimes, hundreds of participants are faced with the hope of winning enough votes to get a place in the final formation of a band.
Participants are also expected to adhere to strictly controlled lifestyles and diets and make regular media appearances. It is an exhausting process that has already been brought under control in recent years by the tension that is being imposed on adolescents and adults, let alone children under 10 years of age.
“If children are of school age, they should go to school. Let them make their own decisions when they have a right to choose,” a Weibo user commented.
“Does this suggest that the next group of kids debuting should include kids in a daycare?” another user wrote, according to state tabloid Global Times.
Many other comments criticized the parents and managers of the boys in the company, accusing the adults involved of exploiting the children for financial gain.
The management agency responded on Tuesday by announcing a brand change: although the band’s English name would still be Panda Boys, its Chinese name would change to become “Panda Children’s Art Troupe.” “There was no capital gain,” the agency insisted, “We’re doing something meaningful with a group of kids who like to sing and dance.”
But pressure continued to rise as state media entered.
“At the same time, it will also transmit the wrong value of ‘early fame’ to society, deceiving young people,” CCTV said, calling for greater regulation to “stop unhealthy trends and bad influences from the use of economy of idols to raise money without a bottom line “.
A day later, Asia Starry Sky Group announced that it would disband the Panda Boys.
“We will take the follow-up work seriously and properly,” he said in a brief statement. “Thank you for monitoring and criticizing society and online.”
Following the release of the statement, the agency’s Weibo account was suspended for violating the platform’s policy, although it is unclear what the policy is.