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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lee Min Ho hits career low as Omniscient Reader: The Prophet becomes his worst-rated title on IMDb: 'Trashiest movie of 2025'
2025 hasn't gone Lee Min Ho's way. The Hallyu superstar, long hailed as the original K-drama heartthrob, first stumbled with the underwhelming performance of When the Stars Gossip. Now, his latest film, Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, has become his lowest-rated project on IMDb. Despite boasting a star-studded cast and a strong box office debut, the film has been heavily criticised by fans, many of whom have taken to IMDb to share negative reviews. Omniscient Reader becomes Lee Min Ho's lowest-rated title Based on the popular webtoon Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Shin Shong, the film was considered one of Lee Min Ho's most anticipated projects in recent years. Also featuring major names like Ahn Hyo Seop, Chae Soo Bin, and Nana, the film has faced backlash from webtoon fans who accused the director of straying too far from the original material. Many are now turning to IMDb to express their disappointment. The film currently holds a 3.9 rating from over 1,500 reviews, making it Lee Min Ho's lowest-rated project to date. In comparison, When the Stars Gossip stands at 6.5. IMDb reviews spark online backlash. Screenshots of harsh IMDb reviews for Omniscient Reader: The Prophet are now circulating widely online, with fans shocked by the level of criticism. One viewer wrote, 'Everything is worse than some cringeworthy vlog on YouTube. Camera angle, CGI, the narrator? I believe the director should be fired because this is the worst movie of all time. The original story is very interesting with all those unique settings. They changed like 98% of the original plot; they changed the personality of every single character. Now this movie is just your generic lame apocalypse story with a nonsense plot and boring characters. Not worth watching. Don't waste your time and money.' Another viewer noted, "You can change details in an not the heart of the story. This movie feels like it was made by someone who didn't understand what made the original good. It's honestly frustrating how much potential this movie had and how badly it was handled. The story feels like a random action movie with the ORV name slapped on. So many important details were changed or ignored, and the characters barely resemble their original versions. Not just in looks but in personality and purpose. Even when the cast seems passionate, the direction clearly doesn't care about staying true to the heart of the story. It feels more like a rewrite than a real adaptation, and not a good one." One mentioned, "This is like my new trauma. Just hope the manhwa you read doesn't get made into a movie. I think it would be fine with the whole plot being changed. But everything seemed stiff. Even the dialogue, the narration, and the words spoken in her heart—everything was stiff. Don't expect anything from this film. Even the cinematography is completely unintended. I watched it, and it looked like a picture just pasted into the video. There are so many unnecessary effects. I don't know how the director made them because it really seems like I could have made a better movie than he did. I can say this is the most trashy movie of 2025." More about the movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophet, directed by Jang Yoo Ji, follows Kim Dokja, played by Lee Min Ho, an ordinary office worker who suddenly finds himself trapped inside the world of his favourite web novel, where he must survive deadly scenarios while trying not to alter the story's timeline. Produced by Realies Pictures and distributed by Lotte Entertainment, the film is quickly becoming a summer box office hit, despite negative reviews. Co-produced by MYM Entertainment, Smilegate Realies, and The Present Company, the fantasy action film drew 427,357 viewers over its first weekend (July 25–27), with a total of 627,885 admissions so far, maintaining its No. 1 position since release, as per Chosun Biz. However, whether it can maintain this momentum or dip during the weekdays remains to be seen.
Korea Herald
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Lee Min-ho's curious antihero turn
The K-drama superstar returns to cinema after a decade to play a central figure who barely shows up Lee Min-ho needs no introduction in Korea's entertainment world. Since his breakout as the imperious, poodle-permed Gu Jun-pyo in "Boys Over Flowers" at 22, he's cornered the market on romantic leads: the tortured chaebol in "The Heirs," the morally ambiguous mogul in "Pachinko," the starry-eyed astronaut in the recent flop "When the Stars Gossip." Always the hero, always front and center. But for a star who's built his career on main character energy, this latest role marks a left turn. In "Omniscient Reader: The Prophet," a genre-blending fantasy epic hitting theaters Wednesday, Lee plays Yoo Joong-hyuk — a battle-hardened warrior stuck in an endless loop, dying and restarting the apocalypse like it's just another Tuesday. He stalks the edges of the film in a leather coat, glowering at Ahn Hyo-seop's earnest everyman who's trying to save the world armed only with decency and determination. 'I'll be honest, it was lonely and desolate,' Lee says, speaking to reporters at a coffee shop in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, Thursday. 'If you think about it, this is the protagonist of protagonists. Normally when we talk about a main character, we build their emotional arc throughout the film. My biggest challenge was figuring out how to fill those gaps convincingly.' It's not just the brooding, hard-to-like character that makes this turn stand out. As the first installment in what producers hope will become a franchise based on a hit web novel of the same title, director Kim Byung-woo had to compress the sprawling plotlines for the screen. Yoo Joong-hyuk took the biggest hit. He barely shows up, speaks a handful of lines and arrives without a backstory or context. Viewers are given almost no clues as to who he is or why he matters. Even his supposed bond with protege Ji-hye, played by Blackpink's Jisoo — the kind of pairing fans would line up to see — was a mystery to Lee. 'I honestly had no idea how we were even connected,' he says with a laugh. 'I was flying blind." Still, at 38 and on his fourth feature film, Lee speaks like someone no longer worried about screen time. 'I try to go straight for the essence,' he says. 'When I first met the director, we spent 80 percent of our time talking about Dok-ja (Ahn's character). The audience has to buy into him first. Only then does Yoo Joong-hyuk's presence start to make sense.' His approach: ditch the surface-level cool and focus on what the character contributes to the story. 'Reading the script, I couldn't find a single moment where the guy felt cool. Struggling through flaws and growing — that's usually what makes someone cool, but the film skips straight to the endpoint,' he says. 'So I had to ask: How does this one character carry the weight of the whole world-building?' That question took him to unexpected places. Yoo Joong-hyuk's endless loop of death and resurrection led Lee to reflect on mortality, memory and the trap of having too much experience. 'Most people probably dream of immortality,' he says. 'But would that really make you happy? I try not to let experience become the only lens I see the world through. That's how people get stuck. And Yoo Joong-hyuk is forced into experiences he never asked for, over and over. His only way to survive is ruthless efficiency.' Even the film's wild premise of a global apocalypse turned into a game show for sentient cosmic beings started to hit close to home. 'We're becoming more isolated as people, while everything gets more systematized,' he says. 'People shine when they're part of something bigger. And this whole live-streamed survival setup? That's our world too. Everything's about being louder, more extreme, competing for attention. It's the same story — just told through fantasy.' The stakes for "Omniscient Reader" are high. With a reported budget of 30 billion won and franchise hopes riding on its box office, the film faces the tricky task of winning over hardcore fans while also hooking newcomers who might be thrown by all the interdimensional jargon. Add to that the pressure of a sluggish post-pandemic box office — no Korean film this year has passed 4 million admissions — and this one needs at least 6 million to break even. Lee, for his part, seems unfazed. This return to film was a promise he made to himself in his twenties, and the numbers, he says, though important, aren't the point. 'Back then, I went to theaters for catharsis, looking for something meaningful. I told myself I'd wait until my thirties, when I'd have more to offer,' he says. 'Now I like these intense, compact, two-hour stories.' So what does he hope audiences will say? 'That it was fun.' He doesn't miss a beat. 'Simple is best. That one word says everything.'
Korea Herald
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: Lee Min-ho's curious antihero turn
The K-drama superstar returns to cinema after a decade to play a central figure who barely shows up Lee Min-ho needs no introduction in Korea's entertainment world. Since his breakout as the imperious, poodle-permed Gu Jun-pyo in "Boys Over Flowers" at 22, he's cornered the market on romantic leads: the tortured chaebol in "The Heirs," the morally ambiguous mogul in "Pachinko," the starry-eyed astronaut in the recent flop "When the Stars Gossip." Always the hero, always front and center. But for a star who's built his career on main character energy, this latest role marks a left turn. In "Omniscient Reader: The Prophet," a genre-blending fantasy epic hitting theaters Wednesday, Lee plays Yoo Joong-hyuk — a battle-hardened warrior stuck in an endless loop, dying and restarting the apocalypse like it's just another Tuesday. He stalks the edges of the film in a leather coat, glowering at Ahn Hyo-seop's earnest everyman who's trying to save the world armed only with decency and determination. 'I'll be honest, it was lonely and desolate,' Lee says, speaking to reporters at a coffee shop in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, Thursday. 'If you think about it, this is the protagonist of protagonists. Normally when we talk about a main character, we build their emotional arc throughout the film. My biggest challenge was figuring out how to fill those gaps convincingly.' It's not just the brooding, hard-to-like character that makes this turn stand out. As the first installment in what producers hope will become a franchise based on a hit web novel of the same title, director Kim Byung-woo had to compress the sprawling plotlines for the screen. Yoo Joong-hyuk took the biggest hit. He barely shows up, speaks a handful of lines and arrives without a backstory or context. Viewers are given almost no clues as to who he is or why he matters. Even his supposed bond with protege Ji-hye, played by Blackpink's Jisoo — the kind of pairing fans would line up to see — was a mystery to Lee. 'I honestly had no idea how we were even connected,' he says with a laugh. 'I was flying blind." Still, at 38 and on his fourth feature film, Lee speaks like someone no longer worried about screen time. 'I try to go straight for the essence,' he says. 'When I first met the director, we spent 80 percent of our time talking about Dok-ja (Ahn's character). The audience has to buy into him first. Only then does Yoo Joong-hyuk's presence start to make sense.' His approach: ditch the surface-level cool and focus on what the character contributes to the story. 'Reading the script, I couldn't find a single moment where the guy felt cool. Struggling through flaws and growing — that's usually what makes someone cool, but the film skips straight to the endpoint,' he says. 'So I had to ask: How does this one character carry the weight of the whole world-building?' That question took him to unexpected places. Yoo Joong-hyuk's endless loop of death and resurrection led Lee to reflect on mortality, memory and the trap of having too much experience. 'Most people probably dream of immortality,' he says. 'But would that really make you happy? I try not to let experience become the only lens I see the world through. That's how people get stuck. And Yoo Joong-hyuk is forced into experiences he never asked for, over and over. His only way to survive is ruthless efficiency.' Even the film's wild premise of a global apocalypse turned into a game show for sentient cosmic beings started to hit close to home. 'We're becoming more isolated as people, while everything gets more systematized,' he says. 'People shine when they're part of something bigger. And this whole live-streamed survival setup? That's our world too. Everything's about being louder, more extreme, competing for attention. It's the same story — just told through fantasy.' The stakes for "Omniscient Reader" are high. With a reported budget of 30 billion won and franchise hopes riding on its box office, the film faces the tricky task of winning over hardcore fans while also hooking newcomers who might be thrown by all the interdimensional jargon. Add to that the pressure of a sluggish post-pandemic box office — no Korean film this year has passed 4 million admissions — and this one needs at least 6 million to break even. Lee, for his part, seems unfazed. This return to film was a promise he made to himself in his twenties, and the numbers, he says, though important, aren't the point. 'Back then, I went to theaters for catharsis, looking for something meaningful. I told myself I'd wait until my thirties, when I'd have more to offer,' he says. 'Now I like these intense, compact, two-hour stories.' So what does he hope audiences will say? 'That it was fun.' He doesn't miss a beat. 'Simple is best. That one word says everything.'
Pink Villa
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Waiting for Gyeongdo: Park Seo Joon, Won Ji An's rom-com confirms December 2025 premiere, know character details
Waiting for Gyeongdo is a romantic comedy drama produced by JTBC that explores the silent struggles and complexities that often hide behind a facade of perfection. The series boasts a fresh on-screen pairing, with Park Seo Joon and Won Ji An starring as the leads. On June 27, the drama's production team made a major announcement regarding the premiere date, and it confirms that fans won't have to wait until next year to watch the series. Waiting for Gyeongdo: Plot and main character details In Waiting for Gyeongdo, Park Seo Joon will star as Lee Gyeong Do, a hardworking and grounded entertainment reporter of Dongwoon Ilbo. His life will take a dramatic turn when he encounters his ex-girlfriend Seo Ji Woo, portrayed by Squid Game 2 fame Won Ji An. Seo Ji Woo appears to be the picture of perfection as the second daughter of Jarim Apparel, but her life is far from flawless. Behind her glamorous facade, she struggles with the imperfections that others don't see. Having just emerged from a messy divorce marred by her husband's cheating, Seo Ji Woo's world is turned upside down when she runs into Lee Gyeong Do again. Their reunion sets the stage for a complex exploration of their past and present relationships. Waiting for Gyeongdo: release date The rom-com drama is set to premiere in December 2025. This 12-episode show is directed by King the Land's filmmaker Im Hyun Wook and penned down by Yoo Young Ah. Waiting for Gyeongdo: Supporting cast The supporting cast of Waiting for Gyeongdo includes Lee El, Lee Joo Young, Kang Ki Doong, and Jo Min Kook. Lee El, known for her role in When the Stars Gossip, will play Seo Ji Yeon, the older sister of Seo Ji Woo and the CEO of Jarim Apparel. Lee Joo Young will take on the role of Park Se Young, a director of an art academy and a friend of Seo Ji Woo. Kang Ki Doong will play the character of Park Se Young's husband, Cha Woo Sik. Jo Min Kook will star as Lee Jeong Min, who runs a used car business.
Pink Villa
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Park Bo Young, Park Jinyoung's Our Unwritten Seoul Ep 9-10 Release: Date, plot, when and where to watch, what to expect and more
Episode 9 of Our Unwritten Seoul aired today, June 15, 2025, and viewers are once again swept away by the drama's emotional intensity. As fans processed the latest developments in Yoo Mi Ji and Lee Ho Su's journey, excitement quickly turned into impatience. Many are now anxiously waiting for the next installment in this heartfelt K-drama. Thankfully, fans won't have to wait long. Episode 10 is set to air on Saturday, June 21, followed by Episode 11 on Sunday, June 22. With just a few episodes left in the season, anticipation is reaching an all-time high as the story races toward its climax. Streaming details Our Unwritten Seoul follows a compact 12-episode format, rolling out two episodes every week on weekends. The drama premiered on May 24, 2025, and will continue airing until its finale on June 29, 2025. Here's when and where to tune in: tvN (South Korea): Every Saturday & Sunday at 9:20 PM KST Netflix (International): Streams globally (including India) at 5:50 PM IST The scheduling allows fans worldwide to follow the storyline simultaneously. This creates a shared experience and weekly buzz across social media. What's the plot? Set against the backdrop of Seoul, Our Unwritten Seoul tells the compelling tale of twin sisters Yoo Mi Ji and Yoo Mi Rae. They are both portrayed by Park Bo Young. Though identical in appearance, the two couldn't be more different in personality. Their lives take an unexpected turn when a family crisis forces them to switch identities, throwing them into unfamiliar roles. As they navigate through confusion and deception, both sisters begin to see the world (and themselves) in a new light. Mi Ji, taking on her sister's identity, finds herself unexpectedly reunited with Lee Ho Su (played by GOT7's Park Jinyoung), a childhood friend and former classmate. The two share a history filled with memories from high school days in Duson: some cherished, others painful. Their reunion brings unspoken emotions bubbling to the surface, and the drama begins weaving a tale of unresolved love and personal healing. Director's comeback after lukewarm reception Directed by Park Shin Woo, the series marks a promising return for the filmmaker following the mixed reviews of his previous 2025 Netflix project, When the Stars Gossip. With Our Unwritten Seoul, Park Shin Woo dives back into the genre he excels at: blending romance, introspection, and slice-of-life moments. He does so in a way that feels both intimate and universally relatable.
