Bang Si-hyuk Receives Fan Backlash After IILIT’s Wonhee Thanks Him for Facial Expression Tips

On October 21, during an event held by the K-pop group ILLIT at the Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul, member Wonhee expressed gratitude towards Bang Si-hyuk. This gathering celebrated the launch of their new album, titled I’LL LIKE YOU. Throughout the event, the group members shared insights into the album’s development, its sources of inspiration, and vital moments that paved the way for its release.

Wonhee elaborated on the creative influences behind the album, highlighting the significant role Bang Si-hyuk played in providing constructive feedback throughout the production stages. She noted his input was especially crucial in the interpretation of their music.

Moreover, she acknowledged that he contributed to improving their choreography and expressions while performing. In a report by Hankyung on the same day, she stated:

“Si-hyuk-nim offered us comprehensive guidance on how to convey this song emotionally and refine our dance facial expressions. As a result, the final piece feels richly developed.”

While many fans recognized his influence in the making of ILLIT’s album, some accused Bang Si-hyuk of leveraging the group for promotional purposes.

There were speculations that he could be using ILLIT to deflect attention from controversies arising from the conflict between HYBE Labels and ADOR. Some fans remarked that these statements contradicted earlier claims made about him.

HYBE had previously mentioned that Bang Si-hyuk suffers from prosopagnosia, a condition affecting facial recognition. Reactions surfaced on X from fans:

“It’s impressive to give advice on facial expressions while having a disorder with recognizing faces,”wrote an X user.

“What do they really stand to gain?” questioned another fan on X.

“The gratitude spoken seems forced. He knows his reputation is at risk, so he’s pushing his groups to praise him,”criticized a fan on X.

Conversely, several fans defended Wonhee, emphasizing it is common for idols to express gratitude to those who facilitate their paths in the industry.

“Why is this a problem? She is thanking the individual who enabled them to chase their dreams,”defended a fan on X.

“Of course she’d express gratitude. Without him, her debut wouldn’t have happened,”observed a netizen.

“So NewJeans can thank Min Heejin, but ILLIT can’t thank PD Bang?”added another netizen.

HYBE allegedly claimed that Bang Si-hyuk’s facial recognition issues stemmed from previous incidents involving NewJeans

In May 2024, a parent of a NewJeans member voiced concerns about Bang Si-hyuk’s behavior to the Korean media outlet Ilgan Sports. During the interview, they asserted that he frequently overlooked the NewJeans members.

The parent recounted:

“Whenever NewJeans saw Bang Si Hyuk in the company building, we questioned why he seemed to ignore their greetings. Initially, we didn’t believe what our children said, thinking he simply didn’t recognize them, so we tried to confirm it.”

The parent went on to say:

“However, since this has occurred multiple times at various locations and dates—even with just him and the members present—we are led to believe he does recognize they are NewJeans.”

According to the parent, HYBE attributed Bang Si-hyuk’s behavior to prosopagnosia, suggesting there had been a misunderstanding. Nonetheless, many internet users expressed skepticism regarding this explanation.

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