SEOUL, July 18 -- All eyes are on Omniscient Reader ahead of its July 23 release in South Korea - but it's Blackpink's Jisoo who's at the centre of a fan controversy over her character's transformation.

Based on the hit web novel by sing N song, the film stars Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, Chae Soo-bin, Shin Seung-ho, Nana and Jisoo.

While excitement is high, fans of the original story are upset about changes to Jisoo's role, Lee Ji-hye.

In the novel, Ji-hye is a sword-wielding warrior guided by a powerful sponsor - Admiral Yi Sun-sin. But in the film, she's reimagined as a sniper, with her sponsor arc left out.

Director Kim Byung-woo addressed the backlash, saying the omission was due to time constraints.

"Her sponsorship narrative simp...