The Kulture Study: NewJeans 'Ditto' side A MV REACTION & REVIEW 

newjeans are good at making you feel like you're experiencing things with the members. they're not too glamorous or out-of-this-world, colorful and perfectly symmetrical like most kpop groups. they just feel like a bunch of regular girls that like singing and dancing and want to tell you a story, taking you along with them.

THE STORY IS SOOOOOO INTRIGUING

this song is so pretty and catchy

To me the most plausible theory is that Heesoo is awkward around people, she has no friends and doesn't dare to talk to the guy she likes. So to fill the loneliness she takes this camera and imagine a perfect group of friends, and when she puts the camera down the reality is very loud and terrifying. At least that's what I got from how the whole thing is filmed, and I think that's a really clever concept for a group of idols, to depict them as a group of friends so perfect that they can only exist in your dreams

I think it is a visual representation of how being a fan is just one of the many phases of life from an idol's perspective. Ban Heesoo (Bunnies, if you say it quickly) is NewJeans' fandom. I watched NewJeans' reaction to this MV. I'm guessing that some of them cried because they know that as time passes by, some fans will spend less time with them to completely move on with their lives sooner or later - could be represented by Ban Heesoo's encounter with the deer (e.g., career, family). In the first scene, an old Ban Heesoo replayed the VHS tape, which I think is a physical representation of her fond memories of when she spent most of her youth with NewJeans. Some fans use this phase as a coping or defense mechanism - Ban Heesoo recording "NewJeans" without minding everyone else, except the boy (i.e., love, which could be one reason she would spend less time with NewJeans). There are various reasons why fans would spend less time supporting their idols. However, I think that love fits this school setting and youth environment well since it also creates nostalgia, which almost everyone can relate to.

So the MV (as their producer said) is about the relationship between idols and their fans. Ban Heesoo (now read it fast = bunnies, NJ's fandom) in the story is us the fans that can only see her/our favorite idols through the camera. The deer can represent a new cycle (as many other meanings) and it shows that the girl is moving on and taking interest in other things as she grows. Example: in side B we see her walking with the boy instead of going by herself + she broke the camera, meaning she decided to let go of that fantasy. In the end of the side B and start of side A we see her watching all her old memories and NJ's comes back because they will always be there whenever she needs them or wants to recall those old memories. + I haven't seen the movie yet, but people said the imagery of the MV also reminds them of the korean movie Ditto (which had a remake this year btw). So if you can watch it and try to link and it makes sense, well... type it down (?)

Heeseo represent the fans. We can only interact with idols through media (the camcorder). Eventually, this parasocial relationship ends.

I played this song 10 times on release it’s incredible

IVE and LeSeerafim both had two super popular members prior to debut, Kep1er has all popular members prior to debut, NMixx has super predebut teasers with all mega talented members. NewJeans debuted without teasers, without flashy/glamorous concept, without popular members, not the best dancing synchronised machines among girl groups. They are just bunch of girl singing to you, taking you with them, moving you with their songs. The fact that they went viral within 4months of debut speaks volume about their music quality.

"OMG!" is the official comeback title track, releasing on 2nd January!!!

the wooh wooh wooh part just makes me wanna pause, close my eyes and take a deep breath

super excited for their first comeback after this pre-release!

The side B is actually very explanatory but also SUPER SAD. These MVs looked like a movie... the song is amazing, NewJeans is unique and I'm loving what they are doing with their concept

Man I have listened to this song 100 times since it came out and still got goosebumps when it started in this video.

The song definitely sounded more like a soundtrack to the MV for me more than a standalone song. I personally don't mind that. More reasons for me to watch the MV again

The song is absolutelly incredible, getting pleasant, winter-ish yet warm vibes. Just love it. I also really like all these "old" vhs shots, color grading and overall amosphere in MV. It really got me into the song even more. And I really like the whole MV has some story (which gives me chills) in it and its just not plain dance MV.

3:10 nooo his name is choi hyunwook, he recently gained a lot of well-deserved recognition for his roles in the dramas like 2521 and weak hero class 1❤️

The sound and video makes me think of good times in the past and good times to come. Min Hee-jin is a genius and being that I am closer to Min's age It makes me remember my teenage 90s youth but fresh for today.

I like how you can see PD immediately catching onto what’s going on right after the side A walking out into the rain part. His face wrote detective all over it 😂

I love the break beat / bmore bass production on this - contrasting with the gentle synth that sustains through the whole song really makes this a stand out track this end of the year.

Took this comment from some other reaction video's comments, i thought this is a really good interpretation so I wanted to share it

the guy is choi hyunwook :) hes been in dramas like 2521, weak hero class 1 and racket boys! the girl with the cast who was filming them is park jihu, mostly known for all of us are dead and little women !

Heeso painted her own nail! Previously she is seen painting Minji's nail but since Minji is not real she was painting her own nail. In korea Ditto has been promoted as a fansong, so it isnt about ghosts but as a song about how someone grows up obsessed with a group and feel them as if they were close but in the eyes of others, they can be seen as "weird" bcs there isnt anything there, the idols arent her friends. Then she grows up and looks back on her teenage years like a fond memory. The guy stares at her bcs she sees her all alone btw 💔

they're just so amazing and their concept/music is so refreshing, we need more of this in kpop

Narrative aside, "Ditto" is nostalgic and cinematic both in sound and in style. Very unique, fresh and lovely. Love this group, they bring me back to simpler times.

I'm listening to this and all of a sudden it's like 2007 and I'm discovering SNSD for the first time again. This song is so fresh!

The Ban Heesoo channel has been posting the videotape footage, their choreos. I like how they made a whole new channel to incorporate into the storyline.

I hope whoever is in charge of their marketing and aesthetic, all the directors continue on this trend. The two Ditto videos REALLY remind me of the old kpop days like the Haru Haru MV lol and when there would be these storylines. After watching this I honestly got chills, not only because they were able to really make the viewer feel and be a part of the atmosphere but I was honestly kind of spooked by the ending 👀

My lengthy theory for both Side A and Side B: Heesoo is reliving memories of her friends after they died. She has all of the memories on her video camera, and after her friends’ deaths she goes back to the old places they used to hang out at in order to see her friends once again. All the onlookers including the boy sees this and see her as peculiar, but since she’s stuck in her own world, she’s basically unreachable. The deer might be an allegory for her innocence, something that she constantly gets reminded off. And once she’s come to further compartmentalize her innocence, she drops the camera and faces reality and gets to befriend the boy. The deer could not only be an allegory for her innocence, but it can also hint at how the friends died. In Side B, they are seen dancing in a parking lot. Probably they died in a car crash? They were also running in the rain, probably an accident? I don’t really know but the story is not about how the friends died, it’s about growing. We also see glimpses of Heesoo when she’s all grown up-that despite her breaking her camera, she kept the tapes in order to keep the memories of them, but she had to keep living in the present and put all of her sadness behind in order to grow as a person. I greatly relate to Heesoo. I’ve always been the one behind the camera, always watching my friends and capturing tiny moments of us together. Little would I know that we would all grow up and leave each other’s lives. We all have our own paths now but I sometimes can’t help but grieve the memories I can no longer relive. It hurts, and watching the MVs incited such a sad, nostalgic, and bittersweet feeling in me. It is how it is, but we all grow up and we can only look back on how things were. The MV was specifically made to evoke this sad feeling you get when you look at old pictures and videos of yourself, and the people who worked on this music video nailed it

I've read somewhere that Heesoo was actually living through survivor's guilt, as we all can she she's had that cast on her hand since the beginning which indicates that there was an accident which happened before the setting of the mv and the scenes show her living through that feeling

3:09 it's not Yoo Ah In😂 the actors name is Choi Hyun Wook, he's mostly known from dramas "25 21" and "Weak hero: Class 1" (I highly recommend WHC1 to anyone who hasn't seen it yet!! Park Ji Hoon from Wanna One is the main character, they play best friends and they're absolutely killing it)

I was so desperately waiting for this reaction!

Woosik Shin is currently the hottest advertising director in Korea.

I really think the aspect ratio changes in the MV is very significant. I'm under the impression that New Jeans actually existed before Heesoo got that cast. It explains why the VHS actually has footage of the girls. There are moments in the video where glitches can be seen, I think this means the video playing is FROM the VHS tape. And the scenes that don't show these glitches are the clips that Heesoo recorded through her imagination. It explains why wide shots of clips with glitches shows Heesoo not having a cast on her hand but those with no glitches show wide shots of Heesoo wearing the cast.

I've been listening to it on loop every day since it came out,like I never get tired of listening to it for years.. Also haein and hanni's voice🤤

so the mv is about the story of a fan....the main character's name is bahn heesoo which kinda referred to their fandom,Bunnies so its basically fans looking at their idol,here newjeans through the camcorder which symbolizes watching idol through tv screen like most of us but it showed the sad life of chasing idols and heesoo looking at the guy,her crush represents fans also do get fall in love and forget about their idols....theres just too much things to talk,just look at doyouram or 15KIM interpretation on the mv

I think the story is referenced to the movie "Ditto". They are not ghosts, but she can only see them through that camera/recorder.

Like some have mentioned below, Ditto is a commentary on the Idol/Young Fan relationship. The comfort/joy/deep friendship that the fan feels from hearing their songs, feeling their presence, imagining being best friends. But the fan matures, recognizes that they aren't friends, and moves on with her life. But years later, she can listen to an old cd/vhs/whatever, and relive those imaginary happy memories of how she felt listening to them. Also striking to me (and rarely mentioned below), the shot of how hurt/devasted the Idols looked when the fan turned and walked away from them. So, it is not just the fan that has feelings of loss and regret that an imaginary relationship wasn't real. But also the idols, once fame has passed and their fans no longer want to see them perform, are crushed that the fan's love wasn't real either. Both fans and idols are imagining ideal relationships that just never existed. But the memories of how they felt were real and they appreciate those memories for the rest of their lives.

The video is so well shot, and I love seeing all the different theories on its meaning. 🐇💗🐇 I was looking forward to your reaction as well because of your background in filmmaking, and I wasn't disappointed. Thank you for such a thoughtful response.

Amazing song paired with a very interesting and atypical MV and story. NewJeans truly are one of the best Kpop artists in a while. Hybe continuing to impress as always 😎🐐

my favorite detail that you don't really catch on the first watch bc it's not something to expect is that Heesoo (the main character?) doesn't have the cast while looking through the vhs and putting it in the tv, which means she's here to look back at the memories from before

They really came to bring a new fresh sound to kpop i just hope they stuck to this type of music for at least 2 more years.

Ditto its such a lovely/dreamy song

Really have been waiting for your reaction! Mv has really moving storyline and song is simply beautiful

This pre release visually and sonically is a masterpiece, I can’t get over itttt

yesss i was really hoping for you to review these videos soon

YESSS i was so excited to see your reaction to ditto 😭😭😭

i've been waiting for this, thank you

BOI I'M SO HAPPY, I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOUR REACTION!!!!

Yo I've been waiting for this one, I'm excited to watch!

Can we also give a huge shoutout to the producer 250 and co-writers including minji (newjeans), oohyo and the black skirts for this gem!? Legitimately so impressive, newjeans are changing the game

Been waiting for your reaction to ditto and this is such a great birthday gift🥰

YES BEEN WAITING FOR YOUR UPLOAD

Immediately finding your review after watching Ditto🙏🙏 and now its hereeeeee

Listened to this song once when it came out. Thought it was decent, but didn't listen to it again. Three days later, it was in my dreams. My play count for it is in the hundreds now.

the ditto story will always give me the goosebumps on how good it is

I've been waiting for this reaction from PD.

Awesome reaction! There is also a side B mv, I think you'll understand more about the story watching the second mv too.

This song/mv blew my mind it's soo good , i love everything they have put out so far

I’ve been waiting for your reaction!!

I’ve been waiting for your reaction!! 😩

I love This song!! It’s stuck in my head. The melody is sooo pretty

the meaning behind ditto is so sad, i crying while watching but i didn’t even noticed😭

I was waiting for your reaction. Finally!!!

As many helpful commenters have pointed out, this MV is very metaphorical, dealing with the relationships between fans and idols and how they change over time. However, I still think there could be a literal story here, which contains those symbolic meanings. Here are my thoughts on this literal story: I believe that NewJeans were actually going to the same school as Heesoo, and they were friends, with Heesoo recording them. At some point however, they left or died. Heesoo is the only one left, needing to learn how to move on. I the MV, we often cut between the "actual" VHS footage, and some 3rd person/MV-esque footage (see the transition at 2:42 for example). These MV-esque scenes often have warmer, more saturated colors, and the image is more blurry/washed out. The scenes where we can see Heesoo filming nothing often correspond to these MV-esque scenes, which take on a more dreamlike appearance. This makes me believe that the VHS footage is real (in the context of the story), and the MV-esque scenes are hallucinations/fantasies of Heesoo. I've read other people theorize that this is about survivor's guilt, and I think it's a valid interpretation. Somehow, the girls got in an accident together, and Heesoo is the only survivor, making her feel guilty and causing her to latch onto the memories she made with NewJeans. Her cast could also be an indication that this accident happened. Over time though, Heesoo is able to accept what happened and move on, also due to the help of the guy in the MV (more of that in side B). This would also explain some of the haunting and ghostly themes in the MV (the ghostly woos; the deer, symbolizing transition, and possibly NewJeans watching over Heesoo). In the future, she is still able to remember NewJeans fondly, and look to them for comfort. Even without buying into the accident theory, I think the general structure still makes sense. NewJeans left for some other reason (possibly to become idols?), and Heesoo still needs to learn how to deal with the loss of her friends. Thanks for reading, I hope it was somewhat enlightening. Have a wonderful day!

Yesss i was waiting for your reaction

the reaction video i was waiting forrrrr 😭

I was looking forward for your reaction to this!

ive been waiting for this for ages omg i havent even watched it yet but i cant wait !!

Finally!!!!!been waiting for ur reaction

i was waiting for thissss

Been waiting for your reaction! :)

PD u got such a nice talking voice reviewing all these nice videos 😊

Before watching the video i want to let you know that i was sooooo waiting for this reaction 🤩🤩

been waiting for this!!!!!!!!!

I don't usually watch reaction vids but the way I've seen every reaction to this MV, like "you have no idea what's coming"

I love how you have interpreted this video. You are one of the few who has broken it down very thoroughly and thoughtfully from different perspectives whereas others have spent hours theorizing. And yet you have taken only minutes to dissect it. Well done. Though the music and film stand independently of each other, you are absolutely right, they can distract from each other as well. The beauty is when they are combined. For example, the initial lyrics say, "stay in the middle" (later changing to, "I don't want to stay in the middle"). As Heesoo is filming, you can see she is caught in the middle of being given the choice of filming/choosing imaginary friends, NewJeans, or more of a realistic relationship with the boy. Of course the boy does not see NewJeans and thinks Heesoo is filming him. So the dance between them piques his interest. "Like you a little", shows she has growing affection for both. "Don't want no riddle", gives the vibe that both are vying for Heesoo's attention (

This song is so addicting, I’m glad it exist. Also the drums in this song omg.

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS

I was waiting for your reaction. I kept checking everyday so... yay~ 😂😌

I'M ACTUALLY WAITING FOR THIS

i love the handheld camera movement

I like the theory tht heesoo represents fans who feel like they have a relationship with their idols and it's very dear to them even though others might not understand and they stay fond of the memories through adulthood

Thank you for this!

you look happier, glad to see it :)

Also, the mysterious girl on the video, Ban Heesoo, has a youtube channel, she uploaded the camcoder's footages seen on the MV on her channel if you're interested

There's no way he did a 26 min video and not give us a reaction/review of Side B as well...

i'm waiting for this!!!

Some ppl say the story its is a representation of the relationship between fans and NJ. How they and their music impact on the fans life throught ups and downs. I think the story is more about let go the past and get throught hard times. I think is about the girl Heeso friendship with New Jeans, somehow there was an accident and she was the only alive thats why she have a cast in her arm. So now Heeso is remembering the memories with her friends and how she felt so lonely and empty that she even had mental issues and she was delusional seeing NJ even tho they werent really there. The MV shows the nostaliga and pain of losing her closest friends, trying to let go the past and focus on the present. Everyone know about the accident in the school, so the boy seems worry about her, Heeso learn to let go the past and date the boy she likes in order to leave that dark place and be well and happy again.

some fans found a youtube channel that has some of the clips from the mv but with the sound, the channel name is ban heeseo and has descriptions of the context in that particular clip. there’s also a creepy clip of the location without the girls. i think it’s in the perspective of heeseo but in one of the videos where they’re riding the bikes the description said something like “ we are riding bikes and hyein can’t curve good yet so she keeps stopping but wasn’t her bike red last time” and in the video her bike as white so it’s all in her imagination and just adds to the lore. the channel was made before the mv came out but the videos came out 6,5,4,3,2 days & 16 hours ago. each video has its own date leading to Christmas and is set on 1998. On the clip of their christmas party (?) it kept buffering and wasn’t clear and the sound went away, this could mean that her imagination isn’t clear and she’s starting to go back to normal and realize the girls aren’t real?? also there’s a clip from the convenience store heeseo said “it’s always my job to clean up” well yes because she’s the only real person. the last video really doesn’t make sense and i can’t understand it, it says that hyein has gotten princess syndrome these days and keeps asking where they sell glass slippers and it’s pissing heeseo off? 🤔 she mentions hyein quite a bit so maybe she feels a special connection to her & their has to be sometime with hanni too because she’s the only one matching with heeseo not wearing a blazer only a cardigan and keeps lookin the other way that the girls at the camera. i know i have been babbling but it’s pretty weird and cool & idk if you’ll read or see my comment but it adds something extra to the comeback and the mv. edit/add on: i saw someone say min heejin was born in 1979 so she would’ve been 19 during when the mv was set so it could be something through her eyes? 😭 apparently ban heeseo means bunnies in korean which is the fandom name so it could also mean how fans feel close with new jeans even though they aren’t with them in person and that they’re a comfort to them when you only really see them through a screen like how ban heeseo sees new jeans through the camcorder screen.

As a Dreamcatcher Stan, this is probably my favorite mv of 2022. Loved the dark concept. This song gets better the more you listen to it, and the cinematography is incredible. Looking forward to NJ future works

fyi ive been dying for you to discuss ditto ever since it released

I LOVE YOUR GLASSES!

really digging these new jeans and triple s genre of songs

Cookie is my favorite too Great song and choreo!!! I love all your reaction contents Full of in-depth analysis and very relatable comments!!

side A destroyed me. im listening to it, all of a sudden i feel a tear.. oh im crying? like wtf the writing and directing was just out of this world perfect.

I WAS REFRESHING THIS PAGE EVERYDAY

One key aspect to understanding the video is the aspect ratio 16:9 is heeseo's imagination 4:3 is the film camera's perspective and 18:9 is the reality

Their concept is really different. I really like it.

Cant wait for your reaction to OMG!