Despite a rocky start with Director Kim Byungwoo missing his flight the day before, the much-anticipated press conference for the upcoming fantasy blockbuster “OMNISCIENT READER: THE PROPHECY” kicked off smoothly on 29 July, with Ahn Hyoseop, Lee Minho and Director Kim Byungwoo present to greet the media.
Ahn Hyoseop: Ordinary Man in an Extraordinary Role
Portraying Dokja, a seemingly ordinary person in an extraordinary world, was a challenge Ahn Hyoseop took seriously. “I thought a lot about how to show both the normal and special sides of Dokja,” he explained. “The world may be fantastical, but I wanted the audience to feel like it was real, like they were part of it.” Interestingly, Ahn Hyoseop believes his ordinariness helped him get closer to Dokja’s essence. “People come in all forms. Some are tall, some short. I see my appearance as ordinary, and that helps. If I thought I was special, I would not have been able to portray this character honestly.”
Acting alongside Lee Minho was another surreal moment. “Dokja admires Junghyuk in the story, and that is exactly how I feel about Lee Minho. I grew up watching his work. So those emotions came very naturally to me.”
Lee Minho: Stepping into Fantasy
During the press conference, Lee Minho revealed how much imagination was needed in preparing for this role. “Fantasy requires you to go beyond what is real, and that’s the hardest part: conveying emotions in a world that doesn’t exist.”
Playing a character as powerful and charismatic as Junghyuk was no easy feat. “I see myself as quite ordinary. We often judge by appearances, but I believe it is the internal aspects that truly matter. That was what made this role difficult. I had to channel someone extraordinary.”
Lee Minho also spoke about the heart of the story: the people. “The world is moving so fast. But at the center of it all are people. That was what struck me about the script – how people remain the core of everything, even in a fantasy world.”
Director Kim Byungwoo: “I imagined myself as one of them.”
Director Kim Byungwoo revealed that his inspiration for turning the web novel into a film came from a rather personal place. “I imagined myself as one of the characters. What would I do in that situation?” This immersion into the story became the driving force behind the project, and the result is a cinematic world he hopes audiences can fully dive into.
Adapting the web novel into a two-hour film was a challenge for the director. “There were some inevitable edits and changes,” he admitted. “But we tried to retain as much as possible; the essence, emotions and fantasy. We want the audience to sit back, relax, and immerse themselves in the world we have created.”
When asked about his casting choices, Director Kim Byungwoo highlighted the uncanny similarities between the actors and their roles. For Kim Dokja, he was in search of a fresh face: someone who has yet to debut on the big screen. “When I met Ahn Hyoseop, I felt that he was Dokja. He had that blend of normalcy and hidden depth.” On the other hand, Yu Junghyeok was clear from the start. “Lee Minho was the only person who popped into my head for this character. Without him, this movie would not have been possible.”
From heartfelt performances to immersive storytelling, this press conference gave us a closer look at the upcoming film that is set to blur the lines between ordinary and extraordinary, fantasy and reality! With a powerhouse cast and the director’s heartfelt vision, audiences can look forward to a cinematic experience that speaks to the heart, even in the most unreal of worlds.
OMNISCIENT READER: THE PROPHECY opens in Singapore cinemas on 31 July.
Article by: Meng@KAvenyou, Jiale@KAvenyou
Photo Credits: Golden Village Pictures
