Jisoo’s Gun Scene in “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” Sparks Historical Accuracy Debate
On May 12, the Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint team unveiled character posters and a teaser trailer. Following the launch trailer in February, which showed Jisoo (BlackPink) as Lee Jihye holding a gun, the new poster also depicted her with a gun, drawing significant attention.
Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is a fantasy action film where the fictional world of a decade-long serialized novel becomes reality on the day it concludes. The story follows Kim Dokja, the novel’s sole reader, as he teams up with protagonist Yoo Joonghyuk and other companions to survive in a devastated world.
With a production budget of 30 billion KRW, the film’s star-studded cast—featuring Jisoo, Lee Min-ho, and Ahn Hyo-seop has fueled high anticipation. Jisoo continues to expand her acting career following Newtopia and upcoming projects, marking a solid transition from K-pop to acting. Lee Min-ho recently appeared in Pachinko Season 2 (2024), while Ahn Hyo-seop is working on new dramas. Set for release this summer, the blockbuster is already generating significant buzz.
In Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, each character fights using the skills and abilities granted by their “Constellation,” a guardian-like entity. Lee Jihye’s Constellation is Admiral Yi Sun-sin. However, concerns arose after the trailer showed Lee Jihye holding a gun instead of a sword, a symbol associated with Yi Sun-sin, sparking fears that the historical figure’s significance was altered. This worry stems from previous instances where historically sensitive content was modified or removed for global releases.
For example, in the webtoon version of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint distributed in Japan, a line referencing “a national independence activist (Yu Gwan-soon)” was changed to “a yin-yang sorcerer of contradiction.” A yin-yang sorcerer, rooted in ancient Japanese tradition, is known for divination and geomancy based on yin-yang and the five elements. Additionally, the Constellation tied to Ahn Jung-geun was reportedly removed, leading to accusations of pandering to Japanese sensitivities.
Some netizens expressed outrage after the trailer’s release, arguing, “It makes no sense to have Admiral Yi Sun-sin, who fought against Japanese muskets during the Imjin War, wield a gun instead of a sword and bow,” “It’s questionable whether they properly understood the worldbuilding before creating this” and “They’re wary of Japan’s perception, but distort our own history.”
The controversy grew as the film drew attention both domestically and internationally, amplifying concerns about the adaptation.
In response to the backlash, Reallize Pictures CEO Won Dong-yeon posted on social media in February, stating, “Adapting a novel into a film requires cinematic changes.” He referenced Along with the Gods, noting that despite significant adaptations, the original author, Joo Ho-min, and fans understood the changes, and he maintains a good relationship with the author.
Won Dong-yeon added, “We showed the script to the original author in advance, explained all adaptations, and received their understanding.” He also shared a poster of Yoo Joonghyuk wielding a sword, clarifying, “Yoo Joonghyuk uses both a sword and a gun. The goblins are included, and while we don’t follow the original exactly, the message, characters, and worldview remain unchanged.” He urged fans to support the project.
However, no further explanation was provided regarding Lee Jihye’s depiction.
Previously, Jisoo had faced criticism for her awkward acting in the Coupang Play drama Newtopia. Her acting skills had already been a topic of controversy during Snowdrop as well. In this project, it seems there will be further evaluation not only of her acting but also of her character interpretation.
Meanwhile, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is slated for release in July.
