SINGAPORE – Rising star Ahn Hyo-seop had always viewed K-drama idol Lee Min-ho as a massive celebrity.
“I grew up watching all his shows – I’m a big fan. It’s surreal to be on set with him,” Ahn tells The Straits Times in Korean through a translator in an interview at Marina Bay Sands.
The 30-year-old Canadian actor was in town on July 29 with Lee, 38, and South Korean director Kim Byung-woo to promote their new fantasy action thriller movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, which is based on the popular South Korean web novel Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint created by duo singNsong.
Office worker Kim Dok-ja (Ahn) suddenly finds himself in the apocalyptic world of his favourite web novel, Three Ways To Survive The Apocalypse.
In a world where monsters are hunting humans, he has to bank on his knowledge of its storyline to fight for survival. Along the way, he teams up with the novel’s characters, including the hero Yu Jung-hyeok (Lee).
The movie, which opens in Singapore cinemas on July 31, also stars Chae Soo-bin, Shin Seung-ho, singer Nana, child actor Kwon Eun-seong and K-pop girl group Blackpink’s Jisoo.
After getting over being starstruck, Ahn says it was easy to get into character, as Dok-ja is a big admirer of Jung-hyeok.
“Like Dok-ja, I look up to Min-ho hyung (elder brother in Korean). There are many similarities,” says Ahn.
During The Straits Times’ interview with the pair, one can sense the respect Ahn has for his South Korean senior, whose career began in 2006.
Lee became a household name through hit K-dramas such as Boys Over Flowers (2009), The Heirs (2013) and The King: Eternal Monarch (2020). He also starred in the US series Pachinko (2022 to 2024).
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy is Ahn’s feature film debut, even though he first found fame through K-dramas such as Doctor Romantic 2 and 3 (2020 to 2023), Lovers Of The Red Sky (2021) and Business Proposal (2022).
His popularity received an international boost, thanks to the hit Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, in which he voices demon boy band leader Jinu.
Ahn modestly downplays the attention he is receiving for that English-language role, explaining he signed up for the Sony Pictures Animation project because he thought it was “very interesting”.
He says: “I never expected to get so much love and attention around the world, which makes me really happy and grateful.”
The fact that KPop Demon Hunters highlights Korean culture makes him “super proud” too.
Following in Lee’s footsteps to further his career in Hollywood may also be on the cards if the project interests him and the timing is right.
“I don’t think it is an issue of language or country. As long as I’m attracted to the work, be it a drama or something else, whether it’s in English or Korean, I would do it,” says Ahn. “To me, the message is most important.”
For most of the filming of Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, Lee did not mingle with his co-stars, as Jung-hyeok is primarily a lone ranger.
“I’m not only alone and lonely on set, but this is also the first time I’m the oldest among the cast,” he says in Korean.
Emotions ran high when Lee had the opportunity to watch them film their scenes. “Like an older brother, I felt responsible for them, so I needed to do my best. They did a great job and I felt so proud of them.”
Standing at 1.87m tall worked in Lee’s favour, as he needed to “look cool and strong” on-screen. But for Ahn, his height of 1.88m became a hindrance of sorts.
“The director wanted me to look ordinary and not stand out in the crowd,” Ahn explains, adding that he frequently needed to learn to “act smaller than I am”.
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy plays out like a video game, where humans need to “level up” different skill sets in their fight against monstrous creatures.
When asked what abilities they wished to improve on to make themselves better, Ahn chooses wisdom, saying: “I believe wisdom is essential for achieving happiness, which is one of the main purposes of living.”
Adds Lee with a laugh: “I want a God-given voice so that I can be an R&B singer.”
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