(Following Interview ①) Ahn Hyo-seop talked about working with the cast of "Omniscient Reader."
On the 16th, an interview with actor Ahn Hyo-seop from the movie "Omniscient Reader: The Prophet" took place at a cafe in Palpan-dong, Seoul.
"Omniscient Reader: The Prophet" (directed by Kim Byung-woo, produced by Lotte Entertainment and Smilegate, distributed by Lotte Entertainment, produced by Realize Pictures Co., Ltd., co-produced by MYM Entertainment, Smilegate Realize, and The Present Company) is set in a world that becomes reality when a novel serialized for over 10 years concludes, and the only reader, Kim Dok-ja (played by Ahn Hyo-seop), must survive in a destroyed world alongside the protagonist Yu Jung-hyuk (played by Lee Min-ho) and his colleagues.
This major production, with a total budget of approximately 30 billion won, is based on the popular web novel of the same name, which garnered love from global fans. Following a recent webtoon adaptation, it was reborn as a film this year, casting K-pop star Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, along with global girl group BLACKPINK's Jisoo.
Ahn Hyo-seop, who plays the role of Kim Dok-ja, the only character who knows the ending of the novel serialized for over 10 years, talked about his interactions with his fellow actors on set.
First, regarding his interaction with Lee Min-ho, he noted, "It was very comfortable. He has maintained his position as a top star for such a long time that when I was younger, he was a celebrity to me. Yu Jung-hyuk is in that position for the reader. That connection was very helpful to me."
He added, "When the reader sees Yu Jung-hyuk, Hyunseong, and Jeong Hee-won, I approached them all with the mindset of seeing celebrities. Isn't it fascinating? When someone you see in the media is right in front of you, it feels surreal. In that regard, there was the least sense of estrangement with Yu Jung-hyuk. So I remember feeling very comfortable on set."
Regarding his feelings about co-starring alongside Lee Min-ho, he shared, "It was amazing to see the poster come out. While filming, I was so caught up that I didn't think much about it. I have liked my senior's works since I was in Canada. It’s really amazing and nostalgic. During filming, there wasn’t much time to think about that," he said with a smile, adding, "Seeing him after 10 years felt like it was not long ago; he made me feel very close by asking, 'Have you eaten?' So I think we became friends right away."
In particular, when discussing his interactions with the child actor Kwon Eun-seong (playing Lee Gil-young), he said with a laugh, "I got annoyed every time he was eating snacks. It's a joke, and since he is a child, he needs to eat a lot." He continued, "Gil-young is heavy. He is so heavy that I had to use wires. We had to jump around a lot while carrying him, so once my muscles relaxed, I couldn’t shoot. However, he was very polite, listened well, and acted very well, which made him a great fellow actor."
He also added, "(Other actors) all knew exactly where and how to shine. There was no reluctance to share the spotlight, and everyone seemed to do their part perfectly from their own position."
(Continued in Interview ③.)
[Photo] Provided by The Present Company
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