The recent disappearance of Ban Hee Soo, often referred to as NewJeans’ “hidden sixth member,” has left fans perplexed and searching for answers. Ban Hee Soo, a fictional character, played a pivotal role in deepening the connection between NewJeans and their fans. Through Ban Hee Soo’s perspective, fans enjoyed an intimate view of the group’s daily lives, forging a strong emotional bond.
Ban Hee Soo’s content, however, vanished overnight, with all related videos being removed. This abrupt disappearance has raised significant questions: Who was responsible for the deletion, and what motivated this decision?
Shin Woo Seok, head of Dolphiners Films, the company behind the Ban Hee Soo videos, is a key figure in the mystery. Although Shin had access to the content, he denies being responsible for the removal. He claims that the deletion was not his choice but rather a directive from ADOR, NewJeans’ agency. According to Shin, ADOR requested the deletion due to copyright issues. ADOR, as the copyright holder of NewJeans’ content, has the authority to manage related materials.
ADOR, however, has denied involvement, clarifying that they only asked for the removal of a specific “ETA” director’s cut video from Dolphiners Film’s channel, which had been posted without proper approval. They asserted that they did not request the removal of Ban Hee Soo’s channel and were unfairly accused.
Shin Woo Seok further explained that ADOR’s instructions about NewJeans’ copyrighted material were interpreted broadly. He believed that this included all content related to NewJeans, which led to the extensive removal of Ban Hee Soo’s videos. This situation seems to stem from a communication breakdown between ADOR and Shin Woo Seok, leading to a sweeping decision to delete the content.
While ADOR plans to re-upload the videos, the loss of the original Ban Hee Soo content has impacted the deep emotional connection fans had with NewJeans through this unique and cherished lens.
Who Was Ban Hee Soo?
Ban Hee Soo, initially speculated as a potential sixth member of NewJeans, is a fictional character used to personify the group’s fandom, known as Bunnies. The character made her debut in a 21-second teaser for NewJeans’ “Ditto,” where she was seen in a school setting alongside the five official members—Danielle, Hanni, Haerin, Minji, and Hyein. Despite only five members being shown entering the building, the teaser revealed a sixth figure, leading fans to wonder about her identity.
In the full music videos for “Ditto,” Ban Hee Soo is portrayed by South Korean actress Park Ji-Hu. The character plays a significant role in connecting the fans more intimately with NewJeans, embodying the emotional bridge between the idols and their audience.
