Billions of views could not save “Omniscience Reader: The Prophecy” from the backlash

Omniscient reader: prophecyThe long -awaited cinematographic adaptation of the beloved webtoon The point of view of the omniscient readerIt was supposed to be a point of reference in the Corean fantasy cinema. Instead, it has become a felt story.

Although he has accumulated a stunning global views of 2.2 billion 2.2 billion for his original material, the film has faced a serious repercussions for “Belcinger” The original story. With Lee Min-Ho, one of the most bankable stars in Korea, the film seemed destined for success, but the numbers alone could not save him.

A webtoon that has modeled a genre

Originally a 2018 web novel, The point of view of the omniscient reader He found a huge success after his adaptation of the 2020 webtoon by Rice Studio for Naver Webtoon. He quickly climbed over 500 million views and continued to beat the records, reaching 2.2 billion views by mid -2025.

The awards followed. In 2021, The point of view of the omniscient reader He was honored with the Minister of Culture, Sport and the Tourism Award to Corea Content Awards. It was again highlighted in 2024 by Kocca as one of the first 10 exceptional works.

Critics and fans praised the series for his:

• Mechanics similar to intellectually role -playing games
• Unconventional protagonist who knows the future
• Philosophical exploration of survival, power and morality

Anime UK News once described it as “A strong criticism of modern society disguised as action fantasy.”

A world in which knowledge is power

The story focuses on Kim Dokja, an anonymous employee who is the only person to finish the dark novel Three ways to survive the apocalypse. When the world suddenly reflects the events of that book, only Dokja understands what is coming.

Rather than brute force, Dokja’s survival depends on foresight, negotiations and emotional intelligence. His ability to manipulate events using his knowledge added strata rarely seen in apocalyptic narrative.

Support characters such as Yoo Sangah, Jung Heewon, Lee Hyunsung and Shin Gilyeong were not simple helpers. They had full arches, moving the plot and remodeling alliances in unpredictable ways.

From complex morality to the CGI show

Given the depth of The point of view of the omniscient readerStorytelling, the expectations for the film adaptation were high. Unfortunately, Omniscient reader: prophecy Style delivered on the substance.

What was once a story of existential choices, moral ambiguity and consequences that move the world has been reduced to surface action sequences and surface drama. Even the stellar power of Lee Min-Ho could not mask the lack of narrative weight.

Fans criticized the film for:

• Excessively simplify the plot
• Errata key roles
• Ignore philosophical issues in favor of the fan service

A Netizen summarized the feeling: “They transformed a masterpiece into a generic success. It’s like looking at a speedrun of emotions.”

Too great an inheritance to adapt?

The failure of Omniscient reader: prophecy He reflects a deeper dilemma in Korean entertainment: can the complexity of the webtoons be translated into films without losing their soul?

Since more adaptations are illuminated from a green point of view, the studies face a critical choice, support the faithful to the source or aim for mass charm. The point of view of the omniscient reader It shows that sometimes, trying to do both, it means failing both. While the film can vanish from memory, the original webtoon continues to inspire readers – and perhaps one day, a more faithful adaptation.

Sources: Znews

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