“Omniscient Reader” has shared behind-the-scenes production details and concept art for the film!
Based on the popular web novel of the same name, “Omniscient Reader” will tell the story of Kim Dok Ja (Ahn Hyo Seop), who suddenly finds himself living in the world of a fantasy novel he was reading. Armed with the knowledge of what happened in the novel, Kim Dok Ja sets out to save the world from ending. Lee Min Ho stars as Yoo Joong Hyuk, the protagonist from the novel that Kim Dok Ja read.
The most significant element in the film is, without a doubt, the visual effects. Of the film’s approximately 1,500 total cuts, about 1,300 include computer-generated imagery, making VFX a major part of the production. With the film’s heavy use of VFX, director Kim Byung Woo emphasized that the most important aspect of the film was maintaining a balance between reality and fantasy.
Although every scene takes place in a fantasy setting, the director focused on keeping the characters’ actions grounded in realism. To strike the right balance between reality and fantasy, a team of veteran creators came together to craft the VFX, which are expected to pull audiences into an epic journey alongside the film’s characters.
Art director Lee Mok Won collaborated with the VFX team to ensure that the original story’s fresh elements felt seamless when adapted into live action and placed within realistic sets and environments.
In particular, the subway that Kim Dok Ja is riding in the moment when fiction first becomes reality was designed to closely resemble a real-life setting, helping audiences naturally immerse themselves in the story.
The production team commented, “We had to depict the subway detaching and then being destroyed. We used a gimbal capable of rotating 90 degrees, and we carefully considered the size of the subway, the real-life finishing materials, and other details.” Every element was meticulously planned to convey the intensity and realism of a subway car flipping 180 degrees.
The subway platforms where key events unfold in the film were also created to mirror real-life environments. The team said they “varied the tone of each station to convey a different feeling,” allowing each scenario to stand out clearly while adding depth, variety, and atmosphere to the overall story.
The inside of the Ichthyosaur (sea creature), where Kim Dok Ja begins to break through the scripted plot in earnest, was built using VFX mats. The set needed to respond with elasticity to his movements, and because the scenes required wide camera angles and wire work, it was designed to be detachable on both the sides and ceiling. A steel frame provided structural strength, and inflatable materials were used for the finishing touches, creating an optimal environment for the actor’s performance and the filming process.
The weapon used by Kim Dok Ja, “Unbreakable Faith,” plays a crucial role in the latter part of the story and was carefully developed from the early concept art stage. The art production, built through meticulous design from the beginning of the concept phase, enhances the realism of the novel’s world and is expected to deliver a powerful, immersive experience for the audience.
“Omniscient Reader” will premiere on July 23.
While you wait, watch Ahn Hyo Seop in “Dr. Romantic 2” below:
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