'All-Knowing Reader's Perspective' Author Sing-Young's Q&A Revealed!

The movie 〈All-Knowing Reader's Perspective〉 is currently ranked first in overall ticket sales, and we have revealed a Q&A with the original author, Sing-Young, who has seen the completed film. 〈All-Knowing Reader's Perspective〉 is a fantasy action film where the world of the novel becomes reality on the day the novel, serialized for over 10 years, is completed, and the only reader, Kim Reader (Ahn Hyo-seop), must survive in a destroyed world alongside the protagonist Yoo Jung-hyuk (Lee Min-ho) and his companions. It was released on July 23 and has surpassed 200,000 cumulative viewers.

Q1. I’m curious about your thoughts when the proposal for adaptation came in. What was the decisive reason for agreeing to the adaptation?

When I first received the movie proposal, I was quite taken aback. At that time, I was a newcomer, and I never imagined I would receive a proposal for a movie, not a drama or animation. Since there is a significant risk in adapting the original work into live action, I was hesitant at first, but when I heard who the director would be, I agreed to the contract without hesitation. I really enjoyed Director Kim Byung-woo's 'The Terror Live.'

Q2. I’m curious about your impressions of the creatures like goblins and fish dragons that appeared in the adaptation.

In fact, the creatures that appear in the movie differ somewhat from what I had imagined. I believe there were various considerations during the process of adapting them into live action. If the creatures in the original work were closer to the emotion of 'fear', I think the creatures in the movie are closer to the emotion of 'mystery'. I think the creatures have become more appealing to a wider age range.

Q3. Was there a particular scene that you especially liked?

It’s hard to pick a specific scene that stood out because the performances of the actors were very impressive, but personally, I like the opening scene. Kim Reader walks towards the audience among the crowd, and at first, he is not noticeable because there are so many people. I find it interesting that the movie begins with the question, “Who is Kim Reader?”

Q4. The characters from the original work have been brought to life on screen; was there a character that left a strong impression on you?

Personally, I found the character Lee Gil-young portrayed in the movie to be quite unique. The character is expressed a bit differently from the original, but I thought that in another world line, there could be a cute Lee Gil-young like that. In fact, I ran into actor Kwon Eun-sung, who played Lee Gil-young, in the restroom, but he probably didn’t know who I was. I felt like I was a star for a moment.

Q5. The web novel has become a mega IP loved by many, being adapted into a webtoon and now a movie. What do you think makes people love this work so much?

I often think about this, but I believe we were lucky. At some point, a demand for a certain story arose by chance, and we happened to write that story, and fortunately, good people read it with us. Because there were fans who loved the story, we have the current All-Knowing Reader's Perspective. It’s a lifelong debt. I am always grateful.

Q6. Was there a message you wanted to convey in the work, and do you think it was well implemented in the movie?

The messages of the original work and the movie are on different trajectories. If I had to express it, the original is about the 'story' or 'reading' itself, and since it actively utilizes points that can only be expressed in text, there are somewhat awkward points when it is made into a movie. I believe they considered that point during production. Therefore, it seems that the movie focused on delivering a message that can be conveyed within two hours instead of the themes addressed in the web novel. I think the adaptation is a meaningful attempt as it is a reinterpretation of the original work.

Q7. Do you have any words for the readers who have passionately supported and read the web novel, and for the audience who will encounter 〈All-Knowing Reader's Perspective〉 through the movie?

There was one time I visited the filming set. In a large set, numerous staff members were working hard to create a single scene. The camera was rolling, and the actors were performing the same scene over and over again. They repeated the same scene, again and again. Then I suddenly realized that the performances that looked like the same scene were actually all different scenes. Just like Yoo Jung-hyuk's life, which repeated regressions, was actually all 'different lives'.

Watching the actors repeating the script to reach a single conclusion, and seeing the staff who sweat over a story where no one can be sure what 'complete perfection' is, I thought about Yoo Jung-hyuk, who repeats endless regressions, and Kim Reader, who watched that story.

Like most creators, we also have some regrets as original authors about the elements of the movie that differ from the original. However, when I feel that way, I recall the filming set we saw that day. Some stories are difficult to evaluate regardless of their completed form, and I think this movie has that kind of meaning for me. Just as Kim Reader supports Yoo Jung-hyuk of the 'Destruction Law', I also support this movie with a similar sentiment.

I believe that for readers who have read the original in advance, this movie will be a unique experience of reading 'All-Knowing Reader's Perspective' from a different perspective, and for those encountering this world for the first time, it will be remembered as a unique and new cinematic experience. I ask for your support. Thank you.