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“Feels like a Japanese webtoon drama”— BLACKPINK's Jisoo’s Omniscient Reader: The Prophet trailer hit with fan backlash over alleged misrepresentation
The latest poster of BLACKPINK's Jisoo for Omniscient Reader: The Prophet has ignited strong reactions online. Fans expressed frustration over the portrayal of the idol's character, Lee Ji-hye. She is seen holding a gun despite her character's Constellation being Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
Admiral Yi is famously known for his mastery of swords and bows during the Imjin War. It makes the gun portrayal feel out of place for many viewers. The poster led many to question the historical alignment and accuracy of the adaptation.
Omniscient Reader: The Prophet is a fantasy action film where the fictional world of a long-running web novel becomes reality on the day it ends. The plot follows Kim Dok-ja. He is the novel’s only reader and joins forces with protagonist Yoo Joong-hyuk to survive in a shattered world.
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Despite the film's high anticipation, with a star-studded cast including Jisoo, Lee Min-ho, and Ahn Hyo-seop, the gun scene drew criticism. A user on an online community platform, TheQoo, wrote,
"It feels like a Japanese webtoon drama."
Many felt it disregarded Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s legacy by replacing his iconic sword with a firearm.
"Please let there be a scene where she uses a sword. That’s her weapon in the comics," a user wrote.
"I'm disappointed at the screentime but not annoyed. I'm annoyed that they didn’t give her sword. That would've been cool," an X user mentioned.
"Speak up! We need clarification! We will not promote! We promise to lower the movie's ratings and bring them down to the lowest level. We need clarification on why Jisoo's character is not holding a sword, which is the main element that represents the character's role!!!!," a fan remarked.
"where’s lee jihye’s bangs and sword…? without them why put her in this movie then?? since the character has been totally DIFFERENT," another person added.
Concerns also surfaced about global adaptations modifying historical elements. They called out the production team for the alleged misinterpretation.
"giving jihye a gun instead of a sword is definitely a choice, would have loved to see jisoo but why did the production not even bother to know about the novel??!!" an X user wrote.
"I don't know if this is a promotional tactic for the film, but your exploitation of Jisoo's fame to generate hype has negatively impacted her. If Lee Jihye doesn't use sword, then what's the purpose of her character's existence? We demand a proper explanation regarding this issue," another fan added.
"So yeah sword is lee jihye's identity(you will know the significance in her own arc), replacing it with a gun and giving no explanation is ridiculous and inviting hate towards my girl, Jisoo," a netizen commented.
More about Jisoo starrer Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint and CEO Won Dong-yeon’s response
Omniscient Reader: The Prophet is set for release this summer. It brings to life the world of the popular web novel where fiction becomes reality. The production is reportedly backed by a 30 billion KRW budget and boasts a lineup of top stars, including Lee Min-ho as Yoo Joong-hyuk and Ahn Hyo-seop as Kim Dok-ja.
The film, starring big names like Jisoo, Lee Min-ho, and more, promises intense action sequences and a dramatic clash of realities. Characters use their unique abilities granted by their "Constellations," guardian-like entities that enhance their skills.
According to the report by Hankyung, the CEO of Realize Pictures, Won Dong-yeon, addressed the growing backlash. He defended the creative choices made for the film. He explained that adaptations sometimes require adjustments.
"Cinematic adaptation is absolutely necessary when adapting an original work to a movie," the CEO said.
Won emphasized that the script was reviewed and approved by the original author, and the story's vision was preserved. He also shared a new poster showcasing Yoo Joong-hyuk with both a sword and a gun.
"When making the movie, I showed the original author the entire scenario in advance, explained everything that was being adapted, and the author understood everything. Yoo Joong-hyuk uses both a sword and a gun, Goblins also appear, and although we don't use the original work as is, the message, characters, and worldview don't change at all."
He assured fans that the film would still respect the spirit of the original.
With its summer release approaching, many are eager to see if Omniscient Reader: The Prophet lives up to its grand expectations.
