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The Assassin(s) historical distortion dispute

Period
2026-09 ~ 2026-10
Where it stands
Still near the top of the Korean box office in its third week, the film faces continued conservative criticism and protests near an actor's home; the team cancelled all Busan festival appearances. It is scheduled to open the Singapore International Film Festival on Oct. 21.
更新
2026-10-09

Hur Jin-ho's The Assassin(s), a fiction film about the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting in which First Lady Yuk Young-soo was killed during an attempt on President Park Chung-hee, opened in Korea on Sept. 23, 2026. Conservative politicians including the People Power Party called it a distortion of history over scenes in which characters raise the possibility that people close to the regime or the KCIA were involved; producer Hive Media Corp. said it is fiction that does not name anyone as the culprit. As pressure mounted, including a rally near actor Yoo Hae-jin's home, the producer cancelled its Busan festival appearances and stage greetings for safety reasons. The film had drawn about 2.41 million admissions by Oct. 6.

Fact Claim Disputed Rumor Not true

What the film is

The Assassin(s) is a fiction film directed by Hur Jin-ho and starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. It is built around the 1974 Liberation Day shooting aimed at President Park Chung-hee that killed First Lady Yuk Young-soo, and follows characters pursuing the truth. Hur said the film is not meant to reveal hidden facts about the incident but to portray people in pursuit of truth and conviction.

It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, opened in Korea on Sept. 23, and is set to open the Singapore International Film Festival on Oct. 21.

5,11

The issue: is the film's hypothesis a distortion?

The dispute centres on scenes where characters raise the possibility that people close to the regime or the Korean Central Intelligence Agency planned the attack. The official 1974 conclusion was that Mun Se-gwang acted on orders from North Korea and Chongryon.

PPP lawmakers argue the film twists that conclusion and defames former President Park. Some demanded punishment of those involved, and a party figure was reported to have filed a police complaint. The producer says the film is fiction reconstructed with cinematic imagination and does not present a new historical conclusion or deny established facts.

Politicians are split: the Democratic Party called the campaign an attempt at censoring cultural expression, while independent Han Dong-hoon defended creative freedom while affirming the right to criticise.

1,3,5,7,9,10

From criticism of a work to pressure on people

In early October a rally was held near actor Yoo Hae-jin's home demanding the film be stopped, and police arranged protection for cast and crew. Yoo's agency said it would take legal action against harassment. Online user ratings became sharply polarised.

The culture minister said people are free to judge a film but threatening creators' safety destroys democracy. Film industry groups issued statements saying criticism of a work must not turn into an attack on creators' personal lives.

1,8,10,14

Busan festival cancellations

On Oct. 2 the producer said the situation around the film was placing excessive burden on the cast and crew beyond the work itself, and cancelled the Busan opening-ceremony appearance, the outdoor stage greeting and second-week stage greetings. Lee Min-ho's Actors' House session and the red-carpet appearance were also dropped.

The festival said it acted at the producer's request. Festival director Jung Han-seok called the cancellations regrettable and said a film festival needs diverse opinions and debate.

4,6,12,13

Box office

The film passed 1 million admissions in four days and reached about 1.56–1.57 million by Sept. 27 (reports differ). It briefly slipped to second on a daily basis, then returned to first over the National Foundation Day holiday with 590,000 admissions, reaching 2.416 million by Oct. 6. Its advance-booking share that morning was 15.4%, third place.

3,5,7,13

Timeline

  1. Fact During the Liberation Day ceremony, an attempt on President Park Chung-hee killed First Lady Yuk Young-soo. A special investigation concluded that Mun Se-gwang acted on orders from North Korea and the pro-Pyongyang Chongryon; Mun was executed that December.5,7
  2. Fact World-premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was named second runner-up for the international People's Choice award.11
  3. Fact Opened in Korea and topped the daily box office for five straight days.3,4
  4. Fact The Singapore International Film Festival (Oct. 21–Nov. 1) announced the film as its opening title.11
  5. Claim People Power Party lawmakers from Daegu and North Gyeongsang accused the film of spreading a baseless conspiracy theory and demanded an apology and correction. The filmmakers replied the same day that it is a fiction film adding cinematic imagination to the 1974 record and does not identify any specific person as the mastermind.3,5
  6. Fact Hive Media Corp. cancelled the Busan festival opening-ceremony appearance, an Oct. 7 outdoor stage greeting and Oct. 3–5 second-week stage greetings, citing the safety of audiences and participants. Cumulative admissions stood at 1.82 million.4,6
  7. Fact Conservative groups rallied near actor Yoo Hae-jin's home demanding the film be halted and an apology (The Korea Herald reported about 50 protesters on Oct. 5). Police arranged protection for cast and crew.1,8
  8. Claim PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk and about 20 lawmakers held a press conference at Yuk's birthplace in Okcheon, demanding a formal apology from the producer and distributor and the disposal of promotional materials. The party said it would send a letter asking the Singapore festival to drop the film as its opener.7,9
  9. Fact Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said threatening creators' safety destroys democracy. Film bodies including the Producers Guild of Korea and Directors Guild of Korea urged that criticism of a work be separated from pressure on individuals.1,10
  10. Fact The 31st Busan International Film Festival opened without the director or cast; related events including Lee Min-ho's Actors' House were not held. By that day the film had 2.416 million admissions and led the National Foundation Day holiday box office.2,12,13

What people say — checked

DisputedThe film asserts that Park Chung-hee was behind the shooting

Critics (PPP lawmakers) say the film implies Park was behind it; the producer says the fiction does not name anyone as mastermind. It is a dispute over interpretation with no resolution.3,5,7

FactThe official 1974 finding was that Mun Se-gwang acted on North Korean orders

The special investigation headquarters concluded Mun acted on orders from North Korea and Chongryon; he was executed in December 1974. Multiple outlets report the same.5,7,9

Not trueThe Busan festival banned The Assassin(s)

What was cancelled were appearances by the director and cast; the festival said it was at the producer's request. Nothing indicates the festival excluded the film.2,12,13

DisputedThe controversy stopped the film at the box office

It briefly fell to second but regained first over the holiday and passed 2.41 million; its advance-booking share on Oct. 6 was third. The data do not settle the controversy's effect.13

ClaimThe PPP sent letters to foreign festivals opposing screenings

As of Oct. 5, reports said the party planned to send a letter in the name of all its lawmakers to the Singapore festival; actual sending and any reply were not confirmed in the sources reviewed.7,9

Why it's an issue

関連記事

The Assassin ホ・ジノ ユ・ヘジン パク・ヘイル イ・ミンホ 釜山国際映画祭

Sources

  1. press The Korea Herald, Culture minister calls threats against 'The Assassin(s)' cast an attack on democracy, 2026-10
  2. press SBS, Busan International Film Festival Joins 'A-List' Ranks... 'The Assassin(s)' Events Canceled, 2026-10-07
  3. press 서울경제, 156만명 흥행 속 정치권은 ‘와글’…‘암살자(들)’ 역사왜곡 논란에 제작진 입 열었다, 2026-09-28
  4. press 주간경향, 영화 ‘암살자(들)’, 감독·배우 부산국제영화제 공식일정과 남은 무대인사 ‘전면 취소’, 2026-10-02
  5. press 대구일보(다음 뉴스), 영화 '암살자(들)' 역사 왜곡 논란, 2026-09-28
  6. press YTN, '암살자(들)' 부산국제영화제 모든 일정 취소...역사 왜곡 논란 여파, 2026-10-02
  7. press 헤럴드경제, “육영수 암살 배후가 北 아닌 박정희?”…영화 ‘암살자들’ 역사왜곡 논란, 처벌 요구도, 2026-09
  8. press 이데일리, Despite Protests at Yoo Hae-jin’s Home and Opposition to Overseas Screenings… ‘The Assassin(s)’ Reclaims No. 1 Spot, 2026-10-05
  9. press 한국일보, 육영수 생가 찾은 국민의힘 "영화 '암살자(들)' 역사 왜곡과 싸울 것", 2026-10-05
  10. press Screen International, Korean film industry rallies around 'The Assassin(s)' team after historical inaccuracy claims, 2026-10-05
  11. press Screen International, Singapore film festival to open with 'The Assassin(s)'; honours for Aamir Khan, Hirokazu Koreeda, 2026-09-25
  12. press 엑스포츠뉴스, '암살자(들)', 레드카펫도 무대인사도 없다…BIFF "영화제로서도 유감", 2026-10
  13. press 경향신문, No. 1 at the box office over the National Foundation Day holiday is ‘Assassin(s)’···Cumulative admissions surpass 2.41 million, 2026-10-06
  14. press KBS(유튜브 뉴스), [이슈] 영화 '암살자(들)' 역사 왜곡 논란…제작진 "정치적 의도 없어"/극과 극 평점에 악플, 명예훼손 고발까지, 2026-09-29
  15. community Reddit r/Koreanfilm, ‘The Assassin(s)’ Cancels All Scheduled Events at 2026 Busan International Film Festival, 2026-10-03

How this article was made: read official statements, court/regulator records and at least two independent outlets; community posts are used only as attention signals. Written by Hallyu Wiki editors with AI assistance — check the sources. 訂正依頼