Actors from ‘The Assassin(s)’ to skip BIFF events as controversy swirls around film

Actors who starred in "The Assassin(s)" will not attend events at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the film's distributor said Friday, amid allegations of historical distortion in the Korean film.

The decision comes after some critics raised concerns that the historical film, which deals with the 1974 assassination attempt on then-President Park Chung Hee, resulting in the death of the first lady, implies that Park or intelligence authorities were possibly behind the case.

"After careful consideration, and taking into account the safety of audiences and attendees, we have decided not to participate in the BIFF's opening ceremony or the Outdoor Stage Greeting scheduled for Oct. 7," Hive Media Corp said in an English-language statement posted on its social media account.

Lead actors Yoo Hai-jin and Lee Min-ho were set to take part in the opening ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, while director Hur Jin-ho, actor Park Hae-il and the other two actors were set to participate in the outdoor event the following day to introduce the film.

BIFF's "Actor's House" program, in which Lee was set to meet with the audience, has also been canceled.

On Friday, a conservative civic group said it plans to hold rallies outside Yoo's home to protest alleged historical inaccuracies in the film.

The controversy has also affected marketing campaigns involving the actor, with Kiwoom Securities halting an advertising campaign featuring him. A fast food chain has also shut down its comment sections on social media marketing posts featuring Yoo.

The production team for "The Assassin(s)" has dismissed the allegations, saying the film was not made to deny or distort historical facts.

Yonhap