Latest news with #LeeMinHo
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Is Lee Min Ho Using BLACKPINK Star Jisoo's Fame To Promote Omniscient Reader?
Lee Min Ho revealed that if the world of Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy ever became real, he would choose BLACKPINK's Jisoo as his ally. Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy was one of the highly anticipated projects of 2025. Based on a popular web novel and starring big names like Lee Min Ho, Ahn Hyo Seop, Chae Soo Bin and Jisoo, the film was expected to be a massive hit. But that did not happen. Made on a budget of $21 million, the box office collection of Omniscient Reader, which was released in theatres on July 23, is slower than expected. Amid the setback, the two lead actors, Lee Min Ho and Ahn Hyo Seop, attended a press conference in Singapore's Marina Bay Sands, the film's first and only international stop for promotions, on Tuesday, July 29. Omniscient Reader's director Kim Byung Woo was also present. At the event, the duo interacted with reporters and shared their experience about working on the movie. When the trio was asked which character they would want as their ally if ever the movie's world turned into a reality, they unanimously answered Lee Ji Hye, a resilient warrior who was played by BLACKPINK's Jisoo. Lee Min Ho shared the reason behind his selection, revealing that it's not her skill set for which he would want her as an ally, but to listen to her songs. He said, 'Instead of her weapon, I'll listen to her songs. Her music will be the biggest power to me." Ahn Hyo Seop agreed, saying that she would be the best partner. After the duo's remarks surfaced on social media, Jisoo's fans started criticising the actors. Why? Because fans were excited to watch their favourite actor-singer in the film, as her picture was heavily featured on the movie's poster. But to their disappointment, she only had a small role, which almost seemed like a cameo. Hence, her fans are now accusing the team of Omniscient Reader of using Jisoo's fame to promote the film. How Jisoo's Fans Reacted To Lee Min Ho And Ahn Hyo Seop's Remarks? 'No Jisoo in the promo—but sure, mention her anyway. Gotta beg for clicks somehow," said one fan. No Jisoo in the promo—but sure, mention her anyway. Gotta beg for clicks somehow Another wrote, 'Let's put all the blame on the director for mentioning Jisoo just for clout. Love all the casts, no hate, but the way Jisoo just never being part of the film promotions just baffles me." 'Finally, they are talking about Jisoo…guess the media training has been done?" mentioned a different fan. Notably, Jisoo has been missing from the promotional events of Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy as she is on a world tour with her BLACKPINK members. First Published: July 30, 2025, 10:27 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Omniscient Reader: The Prophet'; Lee Min Ho and Ahn Hyo Seop choose BLACKPINK Jisoo as their ‘ally' - comments spark mixed reactions
' Omniscient Reader: The Prophet ' has been garnering a lot of success ever since its release. The actors of the film have since made various public appearances to discuss the project. Recently, during a conference, actors Lee Min Ho and Ahn Hyo Seop 's comments about their co-star and idol BLACKPINK 's Jisoo have sparked a lot of backlash online. Lead actor's comment about BLACKPINK Jisoo goes viral The two actors had attended a press conference for the film in Singapore on July 29, where they were asked about different aspects of the film. One of the questions that was presented to them was which character from the project they would ally with. Both of them commented that they would like to ally themselves with Jisoo's character in the fantasy film. When talking about the reason, they cited that the idol-turned-actor's strong vocals would give them power and strength. Lee Min Ho had said, 'I'd choose JISOO. No need for weapons, just listening to her sing gives strength', while Hyo Seop had fully agreed with him. The comment sparked a lot of mixed reactions online as soon as videos from the event went viral. While some defended their comments, many also shared that they were using the idol's name to stay 'relevant'. Jisoo has been at the centre of controversy in the film, after rumours of her only being used for her popularity in the film went viral. Previous comments from the film's creator himself also sparked major debates when he had indirectly pointed at the singer's status as one of the reasons he cast her for the short role on the big screen. Fans and netizens react While some had defended the artists, some other fans had simply criticised and shared that her name was being mentioned for relevance, even though she was not a part of the official promo events. One person commented that. 'No Jisoo in the promo—but sure, mention her anyway. Gotta beg for clicks somehow', while another shared, 'Finally, they are talking about the media training has been done?' Many also came to the lead actors' defence as well. One fan commented, 'Jisoo's fans really need to learn how to respect other actors, they didn't do anything wrong, she will work with many other actors and what u guys said now might become a weapon against her in the future, please be mindful of your words'.
Pink Villa
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Lee Min Ho and Ahn Hyo Seop using BLACKPINK's Jisoo to save Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy at Box Office? Here's what happened
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy has been one of the most awaited films from the Korean film industry this year. With a star-studded lineup, a famed director, a superhit web novel-based storyline, and continued fan interest, it appeared to be right on path for a blockbuster release. The reality however, is far from expectations, as the film is yet to catch up to any estimates, gliding along by relying on its popular cast, including Lee Min Ho, Ahn Hyo Seop, Chae Soo Bin, Shin Seung Ho, and more. Now, the two male leads have stirred online conversation, with their comments at an event for the movie. Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy looking to rely on Jisoo for the Box Office performance? Lee Min Ho and Ahn Hyo Seop attended a press conference for the movie in Singapore on July 29 alongside director Kim Byung Woo. Aiming to promote the film and improve its ticketing status, there have been reports of using BLACKPINK's Jisoo for her fame rather than giving her a remarkable part in it. Her short screentime has already riled up the fans, who are calling out the clout-chasing, also noting the massive placement of the singer-actor on the poster, at the front of it, despite having an almost-cameo role. At the event, the two actors were asked about their biggest ally in the film, someone with whom they would partner, with both perked up with Jisoo's character of Lee Ji Hye as their suggestion. Lee Min Ho said, 'I'd choose Jisoo. No need for weapons, just listening to her singing gives me strength.' Meanwhile, Ahn Hyo Seop echoed his thoughts and shared how she would be the best one to have by their side. The answers have not gone down well with the fans of the BLAKCPINK member. They have called out the seemingly blatant attempt at using her fame to get more headlines and clicks to their movie, hoping it would boost ticket sales. The songstress has so far been absent from the promotions of the film, instead going around the world to tour with her team after 3 years. While currently briefly back in South Korea, it is unknown whether Jisoo will join the other cast members to support the movie in the coming days.
CNA
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Lee Min-ho and Ahn Hyo-seop on why they would choose Blackpink's Jisoo as their ally when fighting monsters
Popular South Korean stars Ahn Hyo-seop and Lee Min-ho brought their smiles, charm and wit as they greeted reporters in Singapore on Tuesday (Jul 29) as part of promotions for their upcoming movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy. Singapore marks the movie's first and only international promotional stop outside of South Korea. The two were joined by director Kim Byung-woo as they fielded questions at Marina Bay Sands. Following the press conference, they are set to attend special fan screenings of Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy at selected Golden Village outlets. In Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, Ahn Hyo-seop plays Kim Dok-ja, an ordinary office worker who finds himself battling monsters when his favourite novel comes to life. During the press conference, the 30-year-old, who has seen a rise in his global stardom following roles in 2022's Business Proposal and the smash hit movie KPop Demon Hunters, was asked if he had difficulties playing a "plain-looking character". Clad in a sleek, all-black ensemble, Ahn was the antithesis of "plain-looking" and cooly replied: "I don't think I'm an outstanding person. "Since the story revolves around being ordinary, I asked myself 'What is ordinary?' and 'Who am I?', and I came to the conclusion that my existence itself is ordinary. If I think of myself as outstanding and special, then I won't even be able to start this project. So I worked on balancing out and blurring the boundary between what's ordinary and extraordinary." Co-starring in the movie is Hallyu icon Lee Min-ho, who plays the brooding Yu Jung-hyeok – the original hero of Dok-ja's favourite novel. The 38-year-old echoed Ahn's sentiments of not feeling like an outstanding person. "In the original web novel, Yu Jung-hyeok was described as having an outstanding and beautiful face that can win over anyone. That was the most difficult part of acting," revealed Lee. "I consider myself an ordinary person because I believe people should be defined by their internal selves and not their external selves. And I believe I'm internally an ordinary person. Knowing that made it so hard to portray such an outstanding and extraordinary person [like Yu Jung-hyeok]." With Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy being an adaptation of a megahit franchise that has seen over 2.5 billion views worldwide across its web novel and web comic adaptations, questions have been raised about whether the movie will be a faithful adaptation of its source material. Director Kim Byung-woo, who won numerous accolades for his 2013 movie The Terror Live, said that there were "inevitable changes" because of the different mediums. "What I focused on the most was 'How can the story be entertaining and how can audiences find it exciting?' As such, I tried not to get too restrained by the original story," said Kim. "That being said, whatever you imagined from the web novel, we did portray and bring it to the world of the movie. I just want you to sit down, relax and have fun." In a moment that brought laughter to attendees of the press conference, all three men admitted that if the events of Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy became reality, they would pick Lee Ji-hye, a character played by Blackpink member Jisoo in the movie, to be their ally. And it's not exactly for her skill set. "Instead of her weapon, I'll listen to her songs," quipped Lee Min-ho. "Her music will be the biggest power to me." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Golden Village Pictures (@goldenvillagepictures) Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy will be released for general audiences in Singapore on Jul 31. It follows the story of Kim Dok-ja (played by Ahn Hyo-seop), an ordinary office worker and the only reader of a little-known web novel. Disappointed with the novel's ending, Dok-ja sends an angry message to its author, only to have the novel's apocalyptic world suddenly become reality. When the novel's original hero, Yu Jung-hyeok (played by Lee Min-ho), appears before him, Dok-ja must use his unique knowledge of the story to survive and bring forth a new ending.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lee Min Ho hits career low as Omniscient Reader: The Prophet becomes his worst-rated title on IMDb: 'Trashiest movie of 2025'
2025 hasn't gone Lee Min Ho's way. The Hallyu superstar, long hailed as the original K-drama heartthrob, first stumbled with the underwhelming performance of When the Stars Gossip. Now, his latest film, Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, has become his lowest-rated project on IMDb. Despite boasting a star-studded cast and a strong box office debut, the film has been heavily criticised by fans, many of whom have taken to IMDb to share negative reviews. Omniscient Reader becomes Lee Min Ho's lowest-rated title Based on the popular webtoon Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Shin Shong, the film was considered one of Lee Min Ho's most anticipated projects in recent years. Also featuring major names like Ahn Hyo Seop, Chae Soo Bin, and Nana, the film has faced backlash from webtoon fans who accused the director of straying too far from the original material. Many are now turning to IMDb to express their disappointment. The film currently holds a 3.9 rating from over 1,500 reviews, making it Lee Min Ho's lowest-rated project to date. In comparison, When the Stars Gossip stands at 6.5. IMDb reviews spark online backlash. Screenshots of harsh IMDb reviews for Omniscient Reader: The Prophet are now circulating widely online, with fans shocked by the level of criticism. One viewer wrote, 'Everything is worse than some cringeworthy vlog on YouTube. Camera angle, CGI, the narrator? I believe the director should be fired because this is the worst movie of all time. The original story is very interesting with all those unique settings. They changed like 98% of the original plot; they changed the personality of every single character. Now this movie is just your generic lame apocalypse story with a nonsense plot and boring characters. Not worth watching. Don't waste your time and money.' Another viewer noted, "You can change details in an not the heart of the story. This movie feels like it was made by someone who didn't understand what made the original good. It's honestly frustrating how much potential this movie had and how badly it was handled. The story feels like a random action movie with the ORV name slapped on. So many important details were changed or ignored, and the characters barely resemble their original versions. Not just in looks but in personality and purpose. Even when the cast seems passionate, the direction clearly doesn't care about staying true to the heart of the story. It feels more like a rewrite than a real adaptation, and not a good one." One mentioned, "This is like my new trauma. Just hope the manhwa you read doesn't get made into a movie. I think it would be fine with the whole plot being changed. But everything seemed stiff. Even the dialogue, the narration, and the words spoken in her heart—everything was stiff. Don't expect anything from this film. Even the cinematography is completely unintended. I watched it, and it looked like a picture just pasted into the video. There are so many unnecessary effects. I don't know how the director made them because it really seems like I could have made a better movie than he did. I can say this is the most trashy movie of 2025." More about the movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, directed by Jang Yoo Ji, follows Kim Dokja, played by Lee Min Ho, an ordinary office worker who suddenly finds himself trapped inside the world of his favourite web novel, where he must survive deadly scenarios while trying not to alter the story's timeline. Produced by Realies Pictures and distributed by Lotte Entertainment, the film is quickly becoming a summer box office hit, despite negative reviews. Co-produced by MYM Entertainment, Smilegate Realies, and The Present Company, the fantasy action film drew 427,357 viewers over its first weekend (July 25–27), with a total of 627,885 admissions so far, maintaining its No. 1 position since release, as per Chosun Biz. However, whether it can maintain this momentum or dip during the weekdays remains to be seen.
