Surreal to be on set with Lee Min-ho: Ahn Hyo-seop

Canadian actor Ahn is a big fan of Lee's, and both were in town recently to promote their new fantasy action thriller

- Joanne Soh

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 an interpreter 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.

Ahn says it was easy to get into character, as Dok-ja is a big admirer of Jung-hyeok.