Director Kim Byung Woo has addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding BLACKPINK’s Jisoo in the upcoming film Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, where she plays the role of Lee Ji Hye.
Jisoo’s casting received mixed reactions, with some fans claiming she wasn’t the right fit. However, director Kim explained his reasoning during a recent interview. “Jisoo’s character appears later in the film, but she plays a key role in the original story,” he said. “Because of the film’s timeline, we couldn’t introduce her earlier. I believed that casting someone with high recognition would help the audience understand that she’s important.”
Responding to backlash, he added, “I know there was criticism, but that also means she left a strong impression. If someone else had played Lee Ji Hye, viewers might have missed her significance. Like Kim Dok Ja says in the film, no character should be underestimated.”
Kim Byung Woo also addressed changes to Lee Ji Hye’s weapon. In the original novel, she uses a sword, but in the film, she’s seen wielding a gun. He explained, “It was a choice to simplify the story and avoid overwhelming viewers with too much information. We hope to explore more details, including the gods and deeper lore, in future installments if given the chance.”
Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, starring Jisoo, Ahn Hyo Seop, and Lee Min Ho, hits South Korean theaters
