A digital poster for “The Assassin(s)” is displayed in a cinema in Seoul on Sept. 28.YONHAP
Dispute over claims of historical distortion over the film "The Assassin(s)" continues, with a producers' group warning against attacks on those involved while Park Chung Hee-related organizations call for screenings to halt.
"We express concern over the excessive criticism being directed at individual creators, including the production company, director, actors and staff, simply because they participated in the project," the Korean Film Producers Association said in a statement on Thursday.
“We hope that criticism and assessments of the work are based on facts and that the creative activities of everyone involved in making the film, including the production company, director, actors and staff, are also respected.”
The association also defended room for differing interpretations of the film.
“Works based on historical events or real-life figures may draw differing opinions depending on viewers’ perspectives and interpretations, and these diverse voices should be respected,” it said.
“The Assassin(s)” centers on the assassination of first lady Yuk Young-soo, the wife of then-President Park Chung Hee, which took place on Aug. 15, 1974. An investigation by a government special investigative team identified Mun Se-gwang, a Korean resident of Japan, as the shooter and later executed him.
The film follows detectives and journalists who harbor doubts about the case's findings and pursue the forces they believe were behind the shooting. Some characters in the film raise the possibility that powerful state institutions, including the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, were involved.
The People Power Party and some conservative groups have criticized the film, accusing it of distorting history.
People Power Party Rep. Kim Tae-kyu speaks at a press conference about the historical controversy surrounding the film "The Assassin(s)" on Sept. 30.NEWS1
Criticism also spread to cast members including Lee Min-ho and Ryu Hye-young, as well as fellow actors who recommended the film, with critical comments posted on their social media accounts.
A fast-food brand for which Yoo Hai-jin, who appears in the film, serves as a model has disabled comments on its social media posts and YouTube advertisements after they drew a stream of complaints.
But those critical of the film have continued to push back.
The President Park Chung Hee Memorial Foundation, Yook Young Foundation and the Park Chung Hee Academy demanded that the production company behind the film issue a formal apology and immediately halt screenings over what they described as “historical distortion.”
A moviegoer purchases a ticket as a digital poster for “The Assassin(s)" is appeared on a screen at a movie theater in Seoul on Sept. 28.NEWS1
“We express our deep regret toward the production team and others involved in ‘The Assassin(s),’ which has inflicted indelible pain on President Park Chung Hee, who devoted his life to the country and its people, and his surviving family, and we strongly condemn them,” the organizations said in a joint statement Thursday.
The organizations said the film’s treatment of the historical event could not be justified as an exercise of creative freedom.
“Using a historical event as a framework while portraying content that differs from the facts as though it were based on actual events, thereby giving the public a false understanding of history, can never be justified in the name of creative freedom,” the organizations said. “We express serious concern over the use of a national tragedy for entertainment success, which not only causes pain and humiliation to historical figures, their surviving families and those who vividly remember the incident, but also undermines the achievements the Korean film industry has built over the years.”
A still image from “The Assassin(s)"HIVE MEDIA CORP
The organizations demanded the production company formally apologize to the public, the surviving families and other parties involved for portions of the film they say distort historical facts.
They also called on the company to provide a responsible explanation and take necessary measures over what they described as "social confusion and conflict caused by presenting content contrary to the truth as historical fact," and to immediately halt screenings of the film.
The organizations added they will respond firmly to the distortion or damage of historical facts and work to preserve an accurate understanding of history.
“The Assassin(s)” opened on Sept. 23 and drew a cumulative 1.76 million admissions as of Thursday.
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.
