Terence Lee | Zsofia Walter | Stephen Kim Reaction Video (“Ditto” by NewJeans)

Terence Lee

I really enjoy the experience of creating a reaction video for NewJeans’ “Ditto” with Stephen and Zsofia. Whenever I watch music videos (of any genre), I give minimal reactions. So, understandably, I was afraid I would be too bland during the reaction video and that we might not find enough things to discuss. This was not the case – we ended up discussing and debating for almost an hour about the hidden meaning and references in the MV and how we think NewJeans is pushing K-pop in a different direction. I believe this only speaks to the amount of effort and creativity put in by the ADOR team.

However, I could have given the camera more physical movements and facial responses during filming – I wasn’t “bopping” or “dancing” to the music, which is what many viewers of a typical reaction video would hope to see to stay engaged. My lack of outright reaction was because there was so much going on in “Ditto” (regarding the hidden references and the story progression) that I was thoroughly steeped in the MV world, trying not to miss any detail.

Having two other people to make this video with was very helpful. We provided a lot of depth to our analyses and “fan theories” because we were actively sharing our thoughts and building on each other’s arguments. It was also helpful because we could focus on different aspects of the MV. For example, Zsofia paid much more attention to the song lyrics, Stephen concentrated on imagery and themes throughout the video, and I focused on catching all the foreshadowing to the “plot twist” at the end.

Zsofia Walter

After having watched music video reactions on my own, it was really cool to make one myself! I was surprised how many connections I was able to make with other music videos and concepts we have discussed in class, even in my first time watching. Prior to this, I had thought it would be difficult to know what to say, but rather it was actually difficult to stop analyzing the video because there was so much material to dive into. I think through this experience, I know better understand why this kind of interactive fandom and lore that you can keep diving into makes K Pop so engaging for so many.

Specifically for Ditto, this was a really fun music video to react to/watch because it had a twist at the end and there were a lot of hidden themes to pick up on. Additionally, since we watched OMG in class, it gave us a good context and backdrop to further discuss this music video relative to New Jeans’ concept as well. Personally, I really like New Jeans music and had watched their other music videos so that made this one interesting to watch as well. In particular, the stripped back aesthetic of this music video is a refreshing comparison to most K Pop music videos that I’ve watched.

Stephen Kim

I thought Terence and Zsofia really made astute points through our two run-throughs of the music video.  Terence pointed out certain hidden messages that most people don’t notice on the first run, such as the reveal that the girl had imagined all of the members of the group, a detail difficult to pick up on the first watch throughs.  I was a bit perplexed by the first watch-through, but hearing the thoughts and realizations from my friends really helped me enjoy and understand the video the second watch through.

I truly believe NewJeans is one of the next emerging groups in the next generation of K-pop artists.  They are pushing the boundaries and the expectations of K-pop themes, while maintaining certain signature elements that fans know and love.  It’s interesting that NewJeans, with their retro appeal and callbacks to the nineties, doesn’t feel like a revolution; rather it feels like a unique blend of the best elements from the previous generation and the upcoming generation.

In “Ditto,” I found their appeal to shine through quite nicely.  I certainly appreciated and noticed the majority of the callbacks and retro references even though I wasn’t even alive then.  There were also references, as we all astutely identified, to popular culture, including Twenty-Five, Twenty-One, a popular Netflix K-drama about fencing.  

Overall, I enjoyed “Ditto” for its multifaceted approach to K-pop musical entertainment.  If it weren’t for the more sophisticated nature of this music video versus other recent videos from other groups I’d seen, I would not have enjoyed the video nearly as much.  However, after analyzing the video alongside Terence and Zsofia, I can see the hidden messages, the nuances, and the sophisticated approach with which it was produced, shot, and edited.  I would be proud now to call myself a NewJeans fan after watching!