"Wanted to Be Confident Before the Original": Ahn Hyo-seop's Best Effort in 'Omniscient Reader' (Press Conference)

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"I did my best not to be ashamed in front of the original fans!" (Ahn Hyo-seop)

'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' is a popular webtoon that has garnered over 200 million cumulative views on Naver Series. Set in Seoul, it follows protagonists as they clear various monster quests to save the world.

The film had to convey this vast fantasy world convincingly in just two hours, while naturally ensuring that the original work's identity was not compromised.

The protagonist, Ahn Hyo-seop (playing Kim Dok-ja), delivered an intelligent performance, capturing the original character's ordinary and innocent nature. In desperate situations, he subtly revealed a deeply human interior. His chemistry with his fellow actors was also notable. They navigated difficulties together, and their spectacular fantasy action was captivating enough to draw the audience's attention.

Bringing a Beloved Webtoon to the Big Screen

The film 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' (directed by Kim Byung-woo, hereafter 'Omniscient Reader') held a press screening and press conference today, July 15th, at Megabox COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Min-ho, Chae Soo-bin, Shin Seung-ho, Nana, and Director Kim Byung-woo were among those who attended the press conference.

'Omniscient Reader' is a fantasy action film where the dungeon world from a novel becomes reality. Kim Dok-ja (played by Ahn Hyo-seop), the novel's sole reader, struggles to survive alongside his comrades.

Ahn Hyo-seop explained, "My Kim Dok-ja is a character who starts from ground zero. He's not simply cool or overly brave. He acts realistically."

Kim Dok-ja improves his combat abilities by completing quests. Ahn Hyo-seop showcased a growth-oriented action style, depicting the process of awakening from hand-to-hand combat to sword fighting.

Ahn Hyo-seop laughed, "Filming the action scenes was so much fun. When else would I get to go inside the belly of a sea dragon or fight a fire dragon? I'm also satisfied with the CGI results."

He also shared his thoughts on the success of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' which he participated in as a voice actor. "I spend every day singing 'My Soda Pop.' I would be very grateful if this popularity also lends strength to 'Omniscient Reader,'" he conveyed.

Stellar Action and Ensemble Work

A key viewing point is the spectacular action of the protagonists. Ahn Hyo-seop collaborates with characters from the novel, each possessing different abilities. Ordinary people unite and transform in the face of crisis.

Nana (playing Jung Hee-won) showcased fiery sword fighting. She recalled, "It was my first time doing CGI action, but it wasn't difficult. Rather, I could freely add movements I wanted by imagining them."

Shin Seung-ho (playing Lee Hyun-sung) delivered powerful defensive action. He noted, "I constantly calculated what it would look like on screen. The director precisely guided the direction."

Chae Soo-bin's (playing Yoo Sang-ah) ability involves silk threads, requiring the most imagination among the characters. She expressed gratitude, saying, "The director, martial arts team, and actors all thought about it with one heart."

Lee Min-ho (playing Yoo Joong-hyuk) is the strongest character in the entire universe. He shared, "Normally, I don't engage in idle fantasies. But filming these fantasy action scenes allowed me to gain even richer emotions."

Accessibility for New Viewers and Future Plans

Concerns were raised about whether the world-building might be too difficult for audiences unfamiliar with the original webtoon. Director Kim explained, "We made it so that the entire story can be enjoyed with just one film."

Various feedback was incorporated from the script stage, and further revisions were made during the editing process based on additional feedback. Thanks to this, understanding the overall world-building is not difficult.

However, the pacing is somewhat fast, meaning the characters' emotional arcs could not be fully explored to allow for complete immersion. To compensate, past narratives were inserted to provide persuasiveness.

One of the central messages of the film is the selfishness of humanity that emerges in desperate moments, portrayed through group dynamics. Emotions explode in an instant, raising the tension.

Director Kim stated, "Among the various values of the original work, we focused on community spirit and the inner nature of humanity. You will probably feel, after watching the film, 'Ah, they highlighted this aspect of humanity.'"

The ending and post-credits scene hint at a sequel. Director Kim revealed, "It might depend on the success of the first film, but we are working on a sequel."

Actors with high global recognition, such as Lee Min-ho and BLACKPINK's Jisoo, have joined the cast. The director and actors expressed their expectations for global box office success.

Director Kim confessed, "We did cast with the international market in mind to some extent." Lee Min-ho expressed his hope, "I hope more Korean IP content can go out into the world."

Finally, Ahn Hyo-seop exclaimed, "Both original fans and new audiences will be able to fully enjoy it. I hope you'll have fun watching it."

'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' opens on July 23rd.