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On June 17, a press conference for Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy was held at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Seoul. The event was attended by director Kim Byung Woo as well as actors Ahn Hyo Seop, Lee Min Ho, Chae Soo Bin, Shin Seung Ho, and Nana.
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy follows Kim Dok Ja, a man trying to save the world that has suddenly changed to match the contents of the novel he was reading.
Speaking about the decision to adapt the work into a film, director Kim said, "At first, I spent a long time wondering, 'How can this possibly be made into a movie?' I read the web novel in its early days of serialization, but I didn't know how the story unfolded from there. What I found most interesting about the original work was how well reality and fantasy were blended. If it were purely a fantasy movie, it might come across as heavy for audiences, and there would be a lot to explain cinematically. But the fact that fantasy naturally enters into reality was what I found most appealing."
He added, "We decided to focus on realistic issues. The most important thing was to make the audience feel that the story is close to them and something they can relate to, rather than something distant." "The story begins in reality, but as the film progresses into more dramatic territory, we discussed with the actors what kind of tone and approach to acting would be appropriate. I think we were able to find a good answer through doing that."
He also said that the film couldn't be exactly the same as the original work: "The original is quite long, and when you compress it into a two-hour film, there are bound to be changes. From the moment I started writing the script — as someone who really loved the original — I thought it was important to preserve the author's intent and the story's fun. Still, there were things that needed to be modified and adapted to suit the cinematic format."
He added, "Still, I believed it was essential for this one film to feel like a complete story on its own. A movie must present a fully designed narrative within two hours. In designing such a story, we made use of the original work, and during the adaptation process, there were inevitably some gaps that needed to be filled in."
Regarding the reason behind changing the weapon of the character Lee Ji Hye (Ji Soo), he explained: "Every character has a backstory, but I questioned whether it was necessary to explain all of that. As for why Lee Ji Hye's weapon changed from a sword to a gun — when planning out the action scenes, I noticed that many characters in the original used long swords, so I thought that adding more variety could help bring the characters to life.
Especially for a character like Lee Ji Hye, who is a bit independent from the main group, I felt choosing a different weapon would enhance her impact in the most dramatic moments. I'm fully aware that fans of the original have voiced concerns about this. But I believe once they watch the film, they'll come to understand why I decided to do that."
Ahn Hyo Seop makes his big-screen debut as Kim Dok Ja, the only reader who knows the ending of a novel. He shared, "When I first read the script, I was really curious about how this could be brought to the screen. In a way, it's a film with a scale rarely seen in Korean cinema. But what drew me in most was the philosophy of the story. I liked its message that we shouldn't live in isolation, but together with others."
He added, "I tried to portray Kim Dok Ja's life as naturally as possible. For him, Ways to Survive the Apocalypse [the novel whose content becomes reality] was a deeply comforting work, so he feels sad when Yoo Joong Hyuk ends up alone at the end. Kim Dok ja wishes he could change that ending, at least in his imagination, and wants everyone live well together. But I focused on what it would really be like to face such a situation. I had many detailed discussions with the director about whether expressing certain feelings in specific moments would feel right and true to the character."
Lee Min Ho takes on the role of Yoo Joong Hyuk, the protagonist of the web novel serialized for over ten years. He shared, "Having been an actor for a long time, I've come to take more interest in various social issues as I've aged. One thing I clearly felt was that society is becoming increasingly individualistic and isolated. It was during that time that I came across this script. The emotional journey of people overcoming adversity together in a ruined world felt like a story that's necessary for our time — one that could truly resonate."
Regarding his role as Yoo Joong Hyuk, he said, "I tend to avoid characters who are outright cool. I prefer roles that start from a place of deficiency and work through it. But Yoo Joong Hyuk is portrayed as cool from the very beginning, so that was a bit of a burden. Even after the film is released, I don't think I'll completely meet the expectations of the fans of the original. Still, I did my best within the limits of what I could do," adding , "I think the synchronization rate between me and the character is about 10%."
Chae Soo Bin plays Yoo Sang Ah, who, along with Kim Dok Ja, is thrust into a world where fiction becomes reality. Speaking about how she came to join the project, she said, "I read the script quickly when I first got it. Rather than thinking about what role I wanted to play, I felt it would be fun just to be part of this story. That's why I decided to do it."
She described Yoo Sang Ah as one of the most realistic characters, saying, "In the film, she approaches and processes the situation in a more realistic way. Because of that, I worried that when she tries to put the brakes on while everyone else is charging ahead, she might come across as hateful. But I was able to build the character through many conversations with the director."
In the film, Yoo Sang Ah uses her ability to heal her allies. The actress shared, "There were many challenges, especially acting in front of a blue screen. But instead of feeling like I was doing it alone, it felt like everyone was coming together to create the scenes. The staff and the team worked closely together, and I learned a lot from that collaborative environment."
Shin Seung Ho comes as Lee Hyun Sung, a soldier who provides support with his strength and defensive abilities. He said, "I first read the script on an airplane, and I was completely absorbed. I started imagining which actors might play the different characters. And although I'm not part of the production team or the director, I was imagining who would be cast."
Talking about his character, he shared, "Lee Hyun Sung has a steadfast and solid personality. He's like a rock, even in appearance. I tried to make myself look physically strong. I also looked for traits we might share, and tried to channel my strengths as an actor into the character and express them on screen." He added, "Rather than feeling exhilarated doing the action scenes, I actually felt completely drained while acting."
Nana plays Jung Hee Won, who joins the fight for justice. She shared, "Before I received the script, my agency first briefed me on the project. I already had a strong trust in director Kim Byung Woo's work, but I wasn't familiar with the original. When I read the script without any knowledge of the source material, it felt so fresh. I thought, 'A film like this in Korea? Is that even possible?' It made me curious. I've always had a thirst for action roles. And in the fantasy genre, action tends to be more widely accepted by audiences, so I wanted to take on the challenge, and that's why I chose it."
She continued, "I think passion for action arose little by little, with each character I've played. For every project, I attended action school, and over time, I started to crave doing proper, full-scale action. This time, I finally got the chance, and got to properly do it."
She added, "Honestly, this is the first time I've worked on a project with so few lines. My character expresses herself more through actions than words, and since action was such a key element of the role, building that part was really fun. Action gave me a huge burst of energy. Maybe it's because of my past as an idol, but I feel like I'm energized when I move my body."
Lastly, director Kim shared, "I think this is the kind of film that audiences can engage with more actively when watching in the theater. It continuously raises the question, 'What would I do in that situation?' Since the audience is also at the starting line of the story, I think they’ll be able to watch while participating together."
Ahn Hyo Seop added, "There's definitely pressure, but this is a project we poured our hearts into and worked hard on. I hope you find it fun — and I think it will be. I hope it won't disappoint you, and I ask for your support and anticipation."
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy is coming July 23.
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