Lee Min Ho’s BIFF talk cancelled as The Assassin(s) faces growing backlash
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Lee Min Ho’s BIFF talk cancelled as The Assassin(s) faces growing backlash")
Lee Min Ho Photograph: (IMDb)
Lee Min Ho’s appearance at the Busan International Film Festival has been cancelled just days before the event was scheduled to take place. Read to know more.
South Korea's one of the most loved actors, Lee Min Ho, best known for Boys Over Flowers, Heirs, Legend of the Blue Sea and Pachinko, among others, has found himself at the centre of attention of controversy surrounding his latest film, Assassin(s). The actor was scheduled to take part in BIFF’s
Actors’ House programme, but his session has now been called off.
Was Lee Min Ho's session at BIFF cancelled?
Lee Min Ho's appearance at the Actor's House session at the Busan International Film Festival has been reportedly cancelled amid the ongoing backlash against the film The Assassin(s). BIFF announced that Lee Min Ho's appearance at the Actor's House on October 7 will not push through. They stated, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the event has been cancelled." Lee’s agency, MYM Entertainment, also confirmed that the actor would not be attending the session and apologised to audiences who had been looking forward to the event. Actors’ House is one of BIFF’s signature programmes.
The festival describes it as a talk programme where leading actors revisit their filmographies and discuss their acting philosophies and behind-the-scenes experiences. Lee Min-ho was among this year's lineup alongside Kim Go-eun, Kim Min-ha, Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Min-a and Ju Ji-hoon.
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Why is The Assassin(s) facing backlash?
The South Korean political thriller The Assassin(s) is facing intense backlash primarily due to its controversial depiction of the August 15, 1974, assassination of First Lady Yuk Yung Soo (wife of former President Park Chung Hee).
Several Korean media outlets have reportedly stated that conservatives, politicians from the People Power Party (PPP), and the Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation argue that the film maliciously implies former President Park Chung-hee or state power agencies were involved in his wife's death, contradicting official investigation records that pointed to North Korean-linked operative Mun Se-gwang.
Reportedly, a former PPP city councillor filed a former police complaint against director Hur Jin Ho and the film's producers, accusing them of defamation by spreading false information. Conservative civic groups like the New Freedom Solidarity planned daily protests outside the home of lead actor Yoo Hae Jun, while boycott campaigns have targeted brands and promotional events associated with the cast, including Lee Min Ho.
High-profile South Korean actresses Lee Young Ae and Kim Go Eun faced heavy online criticism and negative comments after leaving positive handwritten reviews for the film at a VIP screening. The political dispute has spilt over into aggressive online commentary and personal attacks targeting the cast's appearances, prompting pushback from industry groups like the Korean Film Producers Association to warn against excessive attack on creators.
All about Lee Min Ho
Lee Min Ho officially entered the South Korean showbiz and acting industry in 2006 through the TV series Secret Campus. As a child, Lee Min Ho aspired to be a professional football player and was selected for the youth class of South Korean manager Cha Bum Kun. However, a serious injury during elementary school forced him to give up football.
Shortly after his debut in 2006, Lee suffered a major car accident alongside actor Jung Il Woo. The accident left him bedridden in a coma for a month and required nearly a year of recovery with a metal pin placed in his leg, temporarily stalling his rising career. After recovering, he took on minor and supporting roles in dramas like Mackerel Run (2007), I am Sam (2007) and Get Up (2008), as well as minor film appearances in Public Enemy Returns and Our School ET (2008).
His major turning point came when he was cast as Gu Jun Pyo in the hit show Boys Over Flowers (2009), which catapulted him to nationwide and international Hallyu stardom.
