Omniscient Reader Min-ho Lee shared his feelings about playing Yu Jong-hyuk in the film.
On the afternoon of the 15th, a press screening for the movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophet took place at COEX Megabox in Seoul. Attendees included lead actors Ahn Hyo-seop, Min-ho Lee, Chae Soo-bin, Nana, Shin Seung-ho, and director Kim Byung-woo.
Omniscient Reader: The Prophet (directed by Kim Byung-woo, provided by Lotte Entertainment and Smilegate, distributed by Lotte Entertainment, produced by Realize Pictures Inc. and co-produced by MYM Entertainment, Smilegate Realize, and The Present Company) tells the story of a world turning into reality on the day a novel that had been serialized for over 10 years was completed, where the sole reader, Kim Dok-ja (played by Ahn Hyo-seop), and the protagonist Yu Jong-hyuk (played by Min-ho Lee) and his companions fight to survive in a destroyed world.
With a production budget of about 30 billion won, this major work is based on the popular web novel of the same name that won the love of global fans. Following the recent webtoon, it has been reborn as a film this year, featuring Korean Wave stars Min-ho Lee and Ahn Hyo-seop, along with global girl group BLACKPINK member Jisoo in the cast. Directed by Kim Byung-woo, known for films such as The Terror Live (2013) and PMC: The Bunker (2018), this is his new work after seven years, produced by Realize Pictures, which created the hit films Along with the Gods.
Min-ho Lee gave a passionate performance as Yu Jong-hyuk, the protagonist of the novel that has been serialized for over 10 years. In the novel 'Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World,' Yu Jong-hyuk possesses overwhelming skill and strength, able to clear all scenarios thanks to a regression skill that allows him to restart from the beginning upon death. He returns to the screen after a 10-year hiatus since Gangnam 1970.
Min-ho Lee said, "I'm curious about how you all felt since this is my first film in 10 years," expressing his nervousness.
Due to the fantasy genre, he primarily acted in front of a blue screen, stating, "I think I'll be doing more acting in front of a blue screen," and added, "Therefore, I believe that imagination and creative thinking will become even more important in an actor's realm. Through this project, even though I'm not someone who usually indulges in futile imagination, it has prompted me to think of many things. It seems to have become an opportunity to engage in richer imaginings. Of course, it would be better to act face to face, but this is also an area that an actor has to accommodate."
About his character Yu Jong-hyuk, Min-ho Lee stated, "Our lives also have predetermined endings. So rather than thinking about the end, I focused on the significance of the process. I felt that Yu Jong-hyuk would want the end too much. He must have been in so much pain that he would have waited for someone who could bring an end, a savior, to appear. I think he was left without an answer, but the end would have been hope in the form of another beginning."
Meanwhile, Omniscient Reader: The Prophet is set to be released on July 23.
[Photo] Reporter Jo Eun-jung
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