Burger King, other brands distance themselves from 'The Assassin(s)' cast as calls for boycott mount
The controversy stems from the movie's open ending, which critics claim supports a conspiracy theory that the government was involved in the assassination attempt on the president at the time that killed the first lady.
Actor Yoo Hai-jin speaks during a movie event for “The Assassin(s)” in central Seoul on Aug. 10.NEWS1
Companies are scrubbing ads featuring actors from “The Assassin(s),” as a boycott targets brands tied to the film for its alleged historical distortions.
Burger King is gradually removing posters and other promotional materials featuring actor Yoo Hai-jin from its stores, according to industry sources on Sunday.
“The Assassin(s)” centers on the assassination attempt of then-President Park Chung Hee on Aug. 15, 1974, which resulted in the death of his wife, Yuk Young-soo.
The controversy stems from the movie’s open ending. As Yoo’s character, a police detective, and others dig deeper into the incident, they come to suspect that the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, the predecessor of today’s National Intelligence Service, was behind the shooting — an interpretation that critics claim supports the conspiracy theory that the government was involved in the first lady’s death.
“[Yoo] was […] hired solely for our fall product campaign,” a Burger King representative said. “[The contract for his] television and online ads ended in late September as scheduled, so we are removing in-store materials accordingly.”
An industry source, however, offered a different account.
“[The actor] still has more than a week left in his contract with Burger King,” the source said. “Even after television and online campaigns end, companies usually leave in-store promotional materials up for a few more days. My understanding is that Burger King is rushing to remove them […] because of the controversy.”
The apparent cleanup extends to the fast food franchise’s website. Burger King’s television and online commercials from 2024 onward remain available, but the one featuring Yoo is conspicuously absent.
“It seems unlikely that [his] ad will return,” an industry source said.
A still from a Burger King advertisement starring actor Yoo Hai-jinSCREEN CAPTURE
Kiwoom Securities also ended its advertising campaign featuring Yoo on Friday. The company cited the contract’s planned end date, but industry observers suspect that the controversy over “The Assassin(s)” may have hastened his exit.
Genesis BBQ, a Korean fried chicken brand that previously hired Lee Min-ho, who also stars in the film, has also sought to distance itself from the actor.
“[Lee’s] contract expired at the end of August, so he is no longer our advertising model,” a source from the chicken franchise said. “He was hired specifically to target the Chinese market.”
These companies seem to be responding to growing calls to boycott “The Assassin(s)” and its actors, with a list of companies that have used cast members from the movie as advertising models circulating online.
Burger King has become a particular target of the boycott because Yoo plays the lead role.
“I won’t eat there until it changes the model,” multiple posts on online communities and social media read.
Others wrote, “I requested a refund for my Burger King gift certificate.”
Some users have even shared screenshots of messages to Burger King’s customer service center, demanding that Yoo be replaced, or posts showing them deleting their account on the chain’s app.
A still from a Kiwoom Securities advertisement starring actor Yoo Hai-jinKIWOOM SECURITIES
Critical comments have also appeared under YouTube videos that show people eating Burger King burgers.
The company previously disabled comments on an ad featuring Yoo on its official YouTube channel after it drew a wave of criticism.
“A brand’s social media is not a place for political debate,” it said at the time.
Consumers are divided over the boycott.
“The actors knew what the film was about before they agreed to appear in it, so they should bear the responsibility for their choices,” said Park, a university student. “A boycott is one way for consumers to express their demand that historical distortions be corrected.”
Kim, another university student, disagreed.
“People can criticize the film, but we need to be careful when that turns into excessive attacks on the actors or a boycott,” Kim said.
“When a production becomes controversial, companies that use its actors as advertising models can suffer unexpected damage, including boycotts,” said Lee Eun-hee, a professor emeritus of consumer science at Inha University.
“This type of response could become even more intense as political and social divisions deepen. […] Contracts may begin to explicitly cover not only an individual model’s personal conduct but also social controversies caused by productions in which they appear.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
