Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy Opens at No. 1 in Korea Despite Mixed Reviews

The live-action film Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, based on the popular South Korean web novel Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, made a powerful debut at the box office in South Korea. It opened on July 23, 2025, and quickly took the number one spot in its first weekend. The film sold more than 1.2 million tickets in its first five days, making it one of the strongest openings for a Korean film this year.

However, despite its success in ticket sales, the film has received mixed reactions from viewers and critics. While many fans were excited to see the popular web novel adapted to the big screen, some were disappointed with the way the story was handled and how certain scenes were presented. The film’s visual effects, in particular, became a major talking point online, with many fans saying the CGI looked rushed or unfinished in some key moments.

Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy tells the story of an ordinary office worker named Kim Dokja who finds himself living inside the world of his favorite web novel. He is the only one who knows how the story ends. As the world around him turns into a dangerous survival game filled with monsters and trials, Kim must use his knowledge of the novel to protect himself and others, including the main character of the original story, Yoo Joonghyuk.

Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy Tops Korean Box Office Despite Visual and Story Criticism

The original novel has a large fanbase, both in Korea and internationally, and expectations were high for this film adaptation. The film was produced with a reported budget of over 20 billion won (about 15 million USD), and it features a strong cast, including top Korean actors. Many fans praised the casting of Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk, saying the actors fit the characters well and brought the tension and emotion of the story to life.

However, the film also received criticism for trying to squeeze too much content into a limited runtime. The original web novel is long and full of detailed world-building and character development. Adapting this into a two-hour film proved to be a challenge.

Some viewers said the film felt rushed and that many important scenes from the novel were either changed or left out completely. Others said that the pacing was uneven, with some parts feeling too slow and others jumping too quickly between major events.

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The film’s visual effects became one of the biggest complaints. Since Omniscient Reader involves many action scenes, supernatural events, and giant monsters, high-quality CGI is important for making the world feel believable. But many viewers said the effects looked cheap or unfinished in parts of the film. Some scenes that were meant to be dramatic or intense ended up looking awkward, which broke the tension for many fans.

Live-Action Adaptation Opens Strong but Fans Question CGI and Pacing

Despite these issues, the film still performed well in its first week. According to the Korean Film Council, it topped the box office ahead of several international films. Some viewers who had not read the original novel said they enjoyed the movie as a standalone experience. For them, the characters, themes of survival, and the idea of living in a fictional world felt fresh and interesting.

The film also helped introduce more people to the Omniscient Reader franchise. Web novel and webtoon sales increased in the days after the film’s release, showing that even with criticism, the movie brought attention to the original story. Fans of the novel are now hoping for a more faithful adaptation in the future, perhaps in the form of a drama series or an animated version that has more time to explore the story’s depth.

Meanwhile, the production team has responded to some of the feedback. In a recent interview, one of the film’s producers admitted that the tight production schedule made it difficult to complete all visual effects at the desired quality. They said they are considering updates to the CGI for future home video or streaming releases.

It remains to be seen how the film will perform in the coming weeks. If interest stays high and ticket sales remain strong, it may continue to lead the Korean box office through the summer season. However, with several big-name films set to release soon, Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy will face tough competition.

For now, the movie stands as a bold attempt to bring a complex and beloved web novel to the big screen. It may not have met all expectations, but it succeeded in creating excitement around the story and bringing the characters to life for a wider audience. Whether fans love it or feel let down, there is no doubt that Omniscient Reader remains one of Korea’s most talked-about stories, in books, on screen, and online.

 

You can read Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint manhwa on Naver Webtoon.

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