Director Kim Byung Woo of the upcoming blockbuster sci-fi fantasy action film 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' addressed the "casting controversy" surrounding BLACKPINK's Jisoo, who plays the role of Lee Ji Hye.
On Jisoo as Lee Ji Hye, Kim Byung Woo remarked, "Jisoo's character appears quite late in the film's storyline. But in the original novel, Lee Ji Hye is a very important character who undergoes significant development. Based on the film's timeline, it wasn't possible to move up her entry. So I thought that if she was played by someone widely recognizable, than it would make people aware that she was an important character."
Then, in response to some fans' complaints that Lee Ji Hye was cast "poorly", Kim Byung Woo stated, "I'm aware that there was criticism. But that also proved that she was well cast. If the role of Lee Ji Hye was played by someone else, the audiences may not realize who she was. Just as Kim Dok Ja says in the film, no character must be taken lightly."
In addition, the director addressed the controversy of "distorting" the plot by equipping Lee Ji Hye with a gun, rather than with the sword she wielded in the original story. "It was a decision made as to not overload the viewers with information," said Kim Byung Woo, "I felt that it would be more appropriate to dive into the backgrounds of the gods who appear later on in the story in a future installment, if given the opportunity."
Meanwhile, 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' starring BLACKPINK's Jisoo, Ahn Hyo Seop, Lee Min Ho, and more, premieres in South Korea on July 23.
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