Director Kim Byung-woo of 'Omniscient Reader' has shared his thoughts on the removal of the background of historical figures of Korea.
On the morning of the 17th, an interview with Director Kim Byung-woo of the movie 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' took place at a café in the Sokyok-dong area of Jongno, Seoul.
'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' (Directed by Kim Byung-woo, provided by Lotte Entertainment and Smilegate, distributed by Lotte Entertainment, produced by Realize Pictures Co., Ltd, co-produced by MYM Entertainment and Smilegate Realize and The Present Company) is a fantasy action project where the world in the novel becomes reality on the day the novel, serialized for over 10 years, is completed, and the only reader, Kim Dok-ja (played by Ahn Hyo-seop), must survive in a collapsed world alongside the protagonist Yu Joong-hyuk (played by Lee Min-ho) and his companions.
This blockbuster, with a production cost of approximately 30 billion won, is based on the popular web novel of the same name that has garnered the love of global fans. Recently, after being adapted into a webtoon, it has been reborn as a film this year, casting Hallyu stars Lee Min-ho and Ahn Hyo-seop, as well as global girl group BLACKPINK's Jisoo. Furthermore, this is a new work directed by Kim Byung-woo, who directed 'The Terror Live' (2013) and 'PMC: The Bunker' (2018), and it is produced by Realize Pictures, which created the multi-million-view series 'Along with the Gods.'
Director Kim Byung-woo mentioned the part where the backgrounds of Korean figures such as Yi Sun-sin have been deleted, stating, "There are a lot of materials and genres mixed together, and I wondered how people who don't have information about the originals could enjoy it. I had a principle for myself that I thought it would be necessary to organize them in order."
He continued, "The ending point that appears in this movie is very early based on the original. I think that's when the backgrounds will begin to emerge. Because of that, I was worried that if I put too much in one movie, it could lead to an inundation of information. I thought we should carefully organize it so that the audience does not get confused."
The original web novel 'Omniscient Reader' features historical figures of Korea appearing as backgrounds, taking on characters from Greek mythology and villains. While this is a part that explodes with 'Korean pride' and exhilaration, this section is missing in the film 'Omniscient Reader.' Fans of the original may find this somewhat disappointing.
In this regard, Director Kim Byung-woo remarked, "It would be nice if the backgrounds of historical figures like Yi Sun-sin appeared, but there is a sequence to consider," and added, "Within this installment, I felt that the materials and genres gathered were sufficient. If a sequel is made later, I think it will be a point to consider and approach cautiously."
Meanwhile, 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' is set to be released on the 23rd.
[Photo] Lotte Entertainment
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