omniscient reader’s viewpoint

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, also alternatively translated as Omniscient Reader (Korean: 전지적 독자 시점; Hanja: 全知的讀者時點; RR: Jeonjijeog Dogja Sijeom), is a South Korean web novel written by Sing Shong. It was first published on January 6, 2018, on the platform Munpia, and ended on February 2, 2020.^[1] Naver Webtoon published an ongoing webtoon adaptation created by Redice Studio for the Korean version and Line Webtoon for the English version in 2020.^[2] An anime television series adaptation has been announced.

A 28-year-old office worker, Kim Dokja has been the only reader of the web novel Three Ways to Survive An Apocalypse. In the novel, apocalypse descends upon the world in the form of scenarios; brutal challenges that humans are forced to endure. Immensely powerful, legendary beings called ‘Constellations’ watch from above, entertained by the bloodbath. The thousands of chapters of the novel follow the story of Yoo Joonghyuk, a person with a unique ability to transport back to the beginning of the apocalypse every time he dies. Through Yoo Joonghyuk’s story, Dokja survives his own miserable life, comforted by the fact that the protagonist suffered worse and kept going despite it all.

Dokja’s aimless life grinds to a halt on the day when his favourite web-novel is meant to end on the same day his tenure as an intern in his office ends. Suddenly, the story he’s used to escape from reality for much of his life merges with real life, and the characters of the novel themselves appear, along with the carnage of the scenarios. Before the last chapter of the story is published, the city descends into carnage. Now, as the sole reader of his favourite novel, Kim Dokja is determined to outlast the scenarios and find the ending of the novel.^[3]

Kim DokjaKim Dokja (Korean: 김독자; Hanja: 金獨子; RR: Kim Dok-ja) is the main protagonist of the series. He is a young man working an office job who has a passion for reading, his favorite web novel being “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”. However, his life takes a drastic turn when the events of the novel start unfolding in real life, and he is the only one who is aware of how the world will come to an end. With this knowledge, Dokja uses his understanding of the story to create the most perfect ending, consequently changing the world as he knows it. The group of allies and companions he gathers is known as Kim Dokja’s Company.Yoo JoonghyukYoo Joonghyuk (Korean: 유중혁; Hanja: 劉衆赫; RR: Yu Jung-hyeok) is the main protagonist and one of the most powerful characters of the original web novel, “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”. Although he is initially distrustful of Kim Dokja and they frequently struggle to understand each other, they become close, eventually becoming “life and death companions.”Yoo SangahYoo Sangah (Korean: 유상아; Hanja: 劉尚雅; RR: Yu Sang-a) is Kim Dokja’s co-worker who he considers to be an ideal protagonist. She is on the subway with Kim Dokja as the events of the novel start to unfold, and she becomes a powerful figure in her own right despite not appearing in nor having knowledge of the original novel.Lee HyunsungLee Hyunsung (Korean: 이현성; Hanja: 李賢誠; RR: Lee Hyeon-seong) is a former army lieutenant. He was originally a character in “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”, fighting under Yoo Joonghyuk’s leadership, but he becomes Kim Dokja’s ally and companion instead during this progression of the story. In the original story, Lee Hyunsung’s title was Pure Steel Sword and personified loyalty.Jung HeewonJung Heewon (Korean: 정희원; Hanja: 鄭熙媛; RR: Jeong Hui-won) was a very minor character in “Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse” as part of the “marginalized group” from Geumho station who dies early in the novel, but she is saved by and later joins Kim Dokja and his company. She eventually becomes one of the strongest people in the story.Lee GilyoungLee Gilyoung (Korean: 이길영; Hanja: 李吉永; RR: Lee Gil-yeong) is a young boy who shared a subway car with Kim Dokja at the start of the scenarios and survived. He carried a box of grasshoppers at the start of the novel, which helped others in the subway car survive, and his abilities rely on insect control. He grew closer to Kim Dokja along their journey and became someone Kim Dokja loved and cherished as his own child.Lee JihyeLee Jihye (Korean: 이지혜; Hanja: 李智慧; RR: Lee Ji-hye) is a high school student who was originally a character in “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”, fighting under Yoo Joonghyuk’s leadership. Her motivations and difficult temperament stem from the fact that, in the first scenario, she reluctantly killed her best friend in order to survive.Shin YoosungShin Yoosung (Korean: 신유승; Hanja: 申流承; RR: Shin Yu-seung) is a young girl who was a character in Yoo Joonghyuk’s party and later a calamity in “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”. However, in the main timeline of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, she is saved by Kim Dokja and becomes his loved and cherished adopted daughter.Lee SeolhwaLee Seolhwa (Korean: 이설화; RR: Yi Seol-Hwa) is a character from “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”, previously one of the core members of Yoo Joonghyuk’s group, as well as his past lover in the second regression. She appeared in the main timeline of the Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint and later on became a crucial member of Kim Dokja’s Company.Han SooyoungHan Sooyoung (Korean: 한수영; Hanja: 韓秀英; RR: Han Su-yeong) is a ill-mannered and often rude individual that joined Kim Dokja’s Company later on in the story. Initially unwelcomed by most of the group, she is later accepted despite her hostile personality and flaws.UrielUriel (Demon-Like Judge of Fire) is an Archangel that belongs to the “Eden” nebula who stands at the side of absolute good. She is one of the biggest fans and supporters of Kim Dokja, Yoo Joonghyuk and Kim Dokja’s Company. Despite her innocent nature, she can get hostile towards the ones that threaten those she holds dear, earning her the moniker Demon-like Judge of Fire.Sun WukongSun Wukong (Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal) is a constellation that belongs to the “Emperor” nebula. At the start of the story, he expressed interest in Kim Dokja and offered to become his sponsor but was turned town. Since then, he has been one of Dokja’s greatest supporters.Secretive PlotterSecretive Plotter is a mysterious constellation that appeared in Kim Dokja’s channel at the start of the story. No one knows who he is or where he came from. His interest in Kim Dokja and his group becomes more and more apparent throughout the story, as his messages keep appearing in the channel and his gaze keeps following their every step.Abyssal Black Flame DragonAbyssal Black Flame Dragon is the leader of the “Black Cloud” nebula, standing at the side of absolute evil. At the beginning of the story he offered to become Kim Dokja’s sponsor, and despite being turned down,he remained loyal to Kim Dokja’s channel and became one of his biggest supporters.PersephonePersephone (Queen of the Darkest Spring) is a co-leader of the “Underworld” nebula and the wife of Hades. She is a very powerful constellation that took interest in Kim Dokja at the beginning of the story.HadesHades (Father of the Richest Night) is a co-leader of the “Underworld” nebula and one of the 3 major “Olympus” gods, that took interest in Kim Dokja at the beginning of the story, similarly to his wife.