Director Kim Byung-Woo Breaks Silence on Jisoo’s Casting in Omniscient Reader: The Prophet
BLACKPINK’s Jisoo Sparks Casting Debate in Omniscient Reader—Here’s What the Director Had to Say(Photo Credit –X)

Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, one of the most anticipated Korean films scheduled for release on July 23, 2025, is based on a popular novel. Starring Lee Min-Ho, Ahn Hyo-Seop, Chae Soo-Bin, Jisoo, and others, the movie has already created quite a buzz online. However, ahead of its release, the production team and director have faced considerable criticism over their casting choices. Now, the director has addressed all the concerning issues at a recent press conference.

For those who don’t know, the storyline revolves around the sole reader of a web novel, Kim Dok-Ja (Ahn Hyo-Seop), who one day finds the fictional world colliding with his real world, creating an apocalypse. How he joins hands with the novel’s hero Yoo Joong-Hyuk (Lee Min-Ho) and other allies to save them from the apocalypse is all about the movie. Scroll ahead to find out what the director has to say about the cast.

Was Casting BLACKPINK’s Jisoo In Omniscient Reader: The Prophet A Wrong Choice?

On July 17, 2025, during a press meet in Jongno, Seoul, the director, Kim Byung-Woo, opened up about his casting choices. Showing his confidence in Lee Min-Ho, he said (via KBIzoom), “Who else could deliver lines like his? He creates an entire genre with just his presence. He’s the only actor who could bring this to life even without CGI or effects.”

However, among netizens, one of the most debated casting choices of the director has been Jisoo. Many suggested that the production team and the director roped her in the character Lee Ji-Hye to take advantage of her popularity. The BLACKPINK member will be seen in the middle of the movie. Talking about her casting, Kim shared, “Since the character appears later, we needed someone instantly recognizable—someone who would make audiences go, ‘Wait, who’s that?’”

He further admitted that he knows the criticisms that are surfacing over Jisoo’s acting skills and explained, “Yes, I’m aware of the concerns. But even that was part of a good casting decision. Had it not been Jisoo in the role, it could’ve easily gone unnoticed.” In the original web novel, Ji-Hye’s character has a connection to Admiral Yi Sun-Sin, who wields a sword. But in the movie, Jisoo can be seen working with guns. Talking about the backlash that the plot has been receiving for not being accurate to the novel, the director said, “We were aware that fans of the original work might be critical. We did our best to minimize discomfort, but we may have missed a few details. The gun was intended to differentiate her from sword-wielding characters in the film.”

While the divided opinions continue to speculate regarding Jisoo’s presence in the movie, the way Kim Byung-Woo stood firmly on his casting choices proved he prioritized his actors thoroughly. Are you excited about Omniscient Reader: The Prophet? Let us know.

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