Film ‘Assassin(s)’ faces historical distortion dispute; ratings split 8.4 vs. 2.4

The film ‘Assassin(s)’, which brings the shooting of Yuk Young-soo to the screen, has become the focus of a fierce dispute over historical distortion. In the wake of its release, ratings from actual moviegoers and online users have sharply diverged at 8.4 and 2.4, respectively, while the Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation has called for screenings to be halted. In an official statement issued on the 28th, the production team made clear that the film contains no specific political purpose or intent.

The line between historical record and cinematic imagination

In its statement, the production team stressed that ‘Assassin(s)’ merely takes inspiration from the tragic events of 1974 and is a ‘fictional film’ that layers cinematic imagination onto rigorous historical research. While broadly examining publicly available historical materials, the filmmakers interwove fictional characters and situations, and denied identifying any specific real person as being behind the events or presenting hypotheses in the film as established fact. The team added that, because the film deals with a historical event, it would humbly accept criticism from a range of perspectives, but asked audiences to respect the work as a complete ‘creative work.’

Aug. 15, 1974: A day shrouded in mystery

Released in theaters on the 23rd, the film is built around the real-life incident in which Yuk Young-soo was killed when Moon Se-gwang attempted to shoot former President Park Chung-hee. It follows characters who investigate the unanswered questions left behind by history, with major actors including Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho delivering standout performances under the meticulous direction of Heo Jin-ho. The film was produced by ‘Hive Media Corp.,’ the acclaimed company behind ‘Seoul Spring,’ which drew 10 million moviegoers, generating buzz even before its release.

Fierce backlash leads to calls to halt screenings

The controversy centers on hypothetical scenes that leave open the possibility that the Korean Central Intelligence Agency or presidential aides planned the incident. Some conservatives, including members of the People Power Party, have strongly condemned the scenes as clear ‘historical distortion.’ The ‘Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation’ in particular has expressed deep regret over what it called the commercial distortion of a tragedy that left the bereaved family with an indelible wound. It is demanding a formal apology from the production company and an immediate ‘halt to screenings,’ suggesting the dispute will continue for some time.