5 days ago
Director defends Blackpink star Jisoo's sniper role in ‘Omniscient Reader' amid fan controversy (VIDEO)
SEOUL, July 18 — All eyes are on Omniscient Reader ahead of its July 23 release in South Korea — but it's Blackpink's Jisoo who's at the centre of a fan controversy over her character's transformation.
Based on the hit web novel by sing N song, the film stars Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, Chae Soo-bin, Shin Seung-ho, Nana and Jisoo.
While excitement is high, fans of the original story are upset about changes to Jisoo's role, Lee Ji-hye.
In the novel, Ji-hye is a sword-wielding warrior guided by a powerful sponsor — Admiral Yi Sun-sin. But in the film, she's reimagined as a sniper, with her sponsor arc left out.
Director Kim Byung-woo addressed the backlash, saying the omission was due to time constraints.
'Her sponsorship narrative simply hasn't come into play yet... we thought the timing for that part of the story just hasn't arrived within this film,' he told Korea JoongAng Daily.
'For fans... some might worry that we've changed Ji-hye's sponsorship,' he added. 'But I want to clarify that we haven't changed anything.'
Kim said the film only covers the first 10 per cent of the novel and emphasised the importance of focus.
'We felt it was much more efficient... to only introduce the elements... relevant to the events happening in the film,' he reportedly said.
He admitted it took him two years to decide whether to take on the adaptation after 2018's Take Point, citing the pressure of honouring a beloved story.
The core theme, he said, is 'solidarity' — as protagonist Kim Dok-ja finds strength in new allies as the world turns into a novel he once read.
Kim hinted that Ji-hye's full backstory could surface later.
'I did think about how I would approach it if I got the chance to make a sequel,' he added.
Until then, fans will be watching closely — especially to see if Jisoo's new weapon of choice hits the mark.
