He decided to do it himself for the fans.
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In September 2024, a feud breaks out between Dolphin Movie AND MOVES took place. Dolphiners Films and their CEO, director Shin Woo Seok, were tasked with NewJeansIconic MVs including “Ditto”, “ETA” and more. As an extension of “Ditto”, Dolphiners Films handled the Ban Hee Soo YouTube channel, where content is uploaded for fans, such as Director’s Cut versions of the music video.
When the videos were suddenly deleted from the channel, fans were shocked. It was later revealed that ADOR’s new management had asked Dolphiners Films to delete the videos and cease the channel’s operations, claiming that it was an infringement on their artists’ portrait rights. ADOR later released a new statement saying that they had only asked Dolphiners Films to stop uploading to the account. Shin Woo Seok responded on his personal Instagram account, accusing ADOR’s new management of lying. He claimed that they had a prior agreement with ADOR when the MVs were being made, claiming that ADOR had threatened them to delete the videos.
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ADOR is the one who asked me to delete the videos, claiming that they contain the artists’ portrait rights and therefore can only be published on their official channel and not on a third-party channel. They unilaterally sent proof of the contents [legal document] to demand that if we didn’t delete the videos by Monday morning, they would ask us to pay double the price of the services as a fine for violating the contract. You have already threatened us like this, so what are you saying now? Is it possible that you only found out about Ban Heesoo’s channel after we deleted them?
—Sin Woo Seok
Since then, ADOR has denied these claims over and over again. Shin Woo Seok uploaded another statement on September 10, 2024.
Every time I see your statements, I get angry. Why do you keep changing your story and lying when the problem could be solved by simply acknowledging your mistake and apologizing? What do the recordings and emails we have mean? If you are so clean, why are you trying to contact the person you claim is spreading false information and trying to convince them? When your employees tried to stop you, you ignored them and now you are blaming them? Management was the one who acted with threats and coercion, so why are you making employees scapegoats? Let me make this clear. All the content we have uploaded and the associated channels have been agreed upon. Just because management has changed does not mean [these agreements] everything disappears. Even the director’s cuts, which ADOR took issue with in their statement, were an agreement made by all three parties at the time, although we have forwarded a request for minor changes to the tagline. There are no issues with uploading the video even now. Despite this, ADOR is involving a third party for the sake of their own dispute and to cause damage. We have clearly informed ADOR via a separate message that the third party did not want to be involved, but they are still distorting the situation and using the third party. Even now, the companies involved in the related project are suffering because of this petty behavior.
—Sin Woo Seok
He continued to call out ADOR for their lies. ADOR insisted that they never pressured Dolphiners Films to shut down the channel and delete previous videos, claiming that they only raised the issue with the most recently uploaded Director’s Cut.
And in the official statement, why do you talk about pure suffering of the creators? There is no such thing. Denying the original agreement and threatening tens of billions in fines: anyone, even Francis Ngannou (boxer), would be forced to delete the video. ADOR ordered immediate deletion; when did you ask for evidence? You raised copyright and portrait rights issues for content on unofficial accounts and now you are changing your position by only talking about the director’s cut? Do children appear in other non-NewJeans videos? If those videos had not been deleted, what would ADOR have said? I can’t believe their attitude, they lie even with evidence at hand.
—Sin Woo Seok
Shin Woo Seok eventually stepped in, taking full responsibility for restoring the Ban Hee Soo channel for the fans.
Although it has been a long time, we really wanted to create a good project and approached the work with affection. I don’t understand why we have to suffer because of ADOR’s internal conflicts, but we have given up our legitimate rights under their threats and coercion. But despite this, following their bizarrely written official statement that the public has no way to verify whether it is true or not, as long as we have evidence of the agreement, ADOR will definitely lose. I think it’s time to take things to court. From a legal standpoint, it’s an easy case. Ultimately, it seems like ADOR just wants to buy time and avoid public scrutiny. Since they have not apologized, we will publish or send the recordings, emails, and evidence we have and file defamation complaints against CEO Joo Young Kim and Vice CEO Lee Do Kyung. Finally, Ban Hee Soo’s channel is currently legally owned by Dolphiners Crew. We are looking for ways to transfer the channel to the fans. ADOR stated in their statement yesterday that they agree with Dolphiners Crew running the Ban Hee Soo channel, but it is a blatant lie. Just a few days ago, they were trying to convince us behind the scenes to hand over the Ban Hee Soo channel, and this was ADOR’s firm stance. According to them and their refusal to acknowledge the original agreement, there are issues with the copyright and portrait rights of the video. This is nothing more than a play on words to deceive the public. Honestly, I thought that everything would be resolved if we simply provided a way out and asked for an apology, but I did not expect that ADOR’s management, as an entertainment company, would make such a bad judgment even in front of the public. I also expected them to at least take into consideration the artists they are supposed to protect and the confused fans, but I think I was wrong. However, I do not want to see the fans suffer again, and since ADOR refuses to take responsibility, I will take responsibility and open the Ban Hee Soo channel. If ADOR wants to sue for this, go ahead. I’m opening Ban Hee-soo channel now.
—Sin Woo Seok
With this, Ban Hee Soo’s channel has been restored and fans can watch video content again.
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