Teachers' group slams ‘The Assassin(s)’ over ‘distortion of history’

A local teachers' association on Tuesday singled out the film “The Assassin(s)” in a statement warning that cinematic license should not be allowed to distort the public’s understanding of history.

“We are deeply concerned that the film could leave young viewers with a distorted understanding of history by blurring the boundaries between established facts, unverified allegations and cinematic imagination in its depiction of real historical events and figures,” the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations said. The film is rated for viewers aged 12 and older. 

“Freedom of artistic creation and expression must be respected, but we cannot simply dismiss the educational impact on students by saying ‘a movie is just a movie.’”

“The Assassin(s),” which opened on Sept. 23, 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. A total of 2.41 million people had seen the film as of Monday.

“It suggests that the Korean Central Intelligence Agency may have been behind the assassination and implies that President Park Chung Hee ordered the killing of his wife as a way out of the political pressure he faced at the time,” the teachers' group said. 

The Korean Central Intelligence Agency is the predecessor of today’s National Intelligence Service.

The group pointed to suspect Mun Se-gwang’s final statement at his appeal trial, where he expressed remorse for his crime. Mun Se-gwang is known to have been connected with a Japan-based pro-North Korean group. The teachers’ group said this supported what it called the “established historical fact” that Mun tried to assassinate the president but killed the first lady instead.

The group also questioned the film’s opening disclaimer that it was “based on a true story, although some details were altered.” It said the disclaimer failed to help viewers discern where fact ends and fiction begins.

“Students are still developing their knowledge of history and their ability to think critically, and we should not dismiss the possibility that they may mistake the film’s theories and dramatic inventions for historical fact,” the group said. “If a film emphasizes that it draws on real events and historical records, it should also make clear to viewers what is fact and what is fiction.”

The group urged the filmmakers to provide clearer explanations and guidance to reduce confusion among viewers.

Additionally, the group cited international data to argue that Korean students need stronger critical reading skills. Korea ranked at the bottom among member states at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with only 25.6 percent of 15-year-olds correctly answering a question that asked them to distinguish fact from opinion, according to a 2021 report from the international organization. The OECD average was 47.4 percent.

“Given how readily people in Korea tend to accept media content as fact, filmmakers should clearly tell viewers at the start that fictional elements have been added when a movie deals with historical events and is accessible to students,” the group said.

“[The production team] should not wait until controversy erupts to explain that the story was reconstructed with cinematic imagination. Schools should also strengthen media literacy education so students can judge whether the information they encounter is true.”

The teachers’ group took a similar stance in June after inappropriate remarks by members of the Paichai High School baseball team that mocked the May 18 Democratic Uprising. At the time, it said painful history should not be trivialized and called for education that gives students a proper understanding of major events in Korea’s modern history.

“We cannot demand that students develop an accurate understanding of history while ignoring the educational impact of cultural content created by adults,” the group said. “Creative freedom is not a license to distort historical facts.”

The group also said schools and teachers should exercise greater discretion when deciding which films students watch through school-organized programs.

“Schools and teachers should look beyond student preferences and age ratings when choosing films for group screenings, since such screenings are part of students’ education,” the group said. “They should review films in advance, explain what is historical fact and what is fiction and hold discussions afterward.”

The group also called on education authorities to provide schools with teaching materials and guidelines based on historical records when such issues become politically contentious. It said teachers should also be protected from unreasonable complaints and political pressure.

“If we held the Paichai High School students to a standard of historical accuracy and responsibility for what they said and did, we must apply that same standard to how popular culture portrays history for students,” said Kang Joo-ho, president of the teachers’ group. “If we condemn distortions and mockery of one historical event but stay silent when another is distorted, history education loses both its principles and its credibility. Students will ultimately bear the consequences.”

Kang emphasized that education should equip students to make informed judgments based on what they have learned.

“Children do not need history that changes depending on which camp you belong to,” Kang said. “They need history education that teaches facts as they are and equips them to judge for themselves. The Ministry of Education and local education offices should closely assess the film’s educational impact. They should not apply different standards for historical accuracy and accountability depending on the subject.”

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]