The recent explanation of the director Kim Byung-Woo for the casting of Jisoo del Blackpink in the next film “Omniscient Reader: The Prophet” has aroused fierce criticism by Netizen Koreans and fans of the original webtoon.
During a production briefing session on Tuesday, Kim quoted Jisoo’s “passion” and work ethics as main reasons for his selection, saying that it was the correct decision to work with the Blackpink member as he was a person who would give everything.
The controversy worsened when Kim recognized that while the role of Jisoo like Lee Ji-Hye is not particularly significant In the film, someone who could “really capture the attention of the public” wanted. These comments did not go well with many Netizen Koreans, who wondered if the effort alone justified the casting, claiming that hard work is a trait that all professional actors share.
Available for July 23, 2025, the fantasy action film is based on the popular webtoon “Omniscient Reader’s ViewPoint” and features Ahn Hyo-Seop and Lee Min-I in leading roles together with Jisoo. With a production budget of about 30 billion wins (about $ 22 million USD), the film was very anticipated as Blackpink’s first cinematographic role.
In addition to the controversy on the casting, fans have also expressed indignation on changes to the character of Jisoo. In the original webtoon, Lee Ji-Hye is depicted with the fringe and brandishes a sword, but the adaptation of the film shows Jisoo without fringe and uses a gun instead. This change has particularly angry fans who consider it unresolved for the material of origin.
During the press conference, director Kim tried to justify the changes, explaining that he needed to show different styles of scenes and action weapons, observing that he made this decision after thinking for a long time on what could make the character stand out at the most dramatic moment, recognizing that the webtoon fans would probably prefer the original version.
The recourse extends beyond the casting of Jisoo, with some critics who claim the whole adaptation He is compromising historical and cultural elements to appeal to the international public. Others compared the situation with the previous acting initiatives of Jisoo, who also dealt with criticisms regarding his delivery and vocal projection.
Despite the controversy, the film remains one of the most anticipated versions of the summer, with the director expresses the trust that the spectators understand his creative decisions once they see the completed work.
