“Disappointing”: Actors in ‘The Assassins’ face indiscriminate backlash as historical theory fuels witch hunt

An unexpected witch hunt fueled by a historical theory

The “historical distortion” controversy surrounding the film ‘The Assassins’ has crossed the boundaries of art and escalated into an indiscriminate witch hunt targeting the cast and moviegoers. Brand advertisements featuring lead actor ‘Yoo Hae-jin’, who serves as a model for the company, have faced a barrage of public criticism, and their comment sections have been disabled. The personal social media accounts of other people connected to the film, including ‘Lee Min-ho’ and ‘Kim Go-eun’, are also being inundated with hostile comments protesting the movie.

The criticism directed at actors who play key roles in the film has grown increasingly harsh. A YouTube advertisement for a fast-food brand featuring ‘Yoo Hae-jin’ ultimately shut down its comments section after a flood of protests. Sharp criticism poured into the social media account of ‘Lee Min-ho’, who plays a rookie reporter in the film, with comments saying, “I can’t help but feel disappointed” and “You took part in falsifying history.” ‘Ryu Hye-young’, who plays a supporting role, also faced a barrage of public criticism after posting promotional material.

The flames of controversy have spread mercilessly even to fellow actors who watched the film and left sincere recommendations. ‘Lee Young-ae’ and ‘Park Byung-eun’, who attended the VIP premiere, became targets of hostile comments attacking their understanding of history. So did the social media account of ‘Kim Go-eun’, who wrote in her review, “I felt deeply grateful for the present.”

At the center of the controversy, ‘The Assassins’ is based on the ‘1974 shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo’. The film brings to the screen the provocative theories that a third sniper may have been present in addition to Moon Se-kwang, who fired the shots, and that a powerful state agency may have been involved. Politicians and some conservatives have strongly opposed the film, saying it contradicts established historical facts. The filmmakers sought to defuse the controversy, saying, “We have absolutely no intention of denying or disparaging the established historical facts,” but the uproar has yet to subside.

Separate from legitimate criticism of the film, the effort to undermine the personal morality of actors who performed in it has raised serious concerns. Film critic Jeon Chan-il sharply criticized the attacks, saying, “It is entirely reasonable to raise concerns that cinematic imagination could trigger misunderstanding, but directing the arrows of blame squarely at the actors is an entirely different matter.” He added, “It is absurd for an actor to become a scapegoat for simply performing the role assigned to them.”