The Assassin(s) controversy: Korean Directors call for protection of creators
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "The Assassin(s) controversy: Korean Directors call for protection of creators")
The Assassin(s) Photograph: (X)
In regard to The Assassin(s) controversy, Korean Directors Guild and a 19-member film industry coalition have defended the right to criticise the movie while urging audiences not to target its cast, crew or creators personally.
The Assassin(s) has found itself at the centre of a growing controversy in South Korea over its portrayal of a politically sensitive historical event. As the backlash has increasingly extended to the people involved with the film, Korean film directors have now spoken out in their defence. Let's delve into what the controversy is all about.
The Korean Directors Guild backs filmmakers
The Korean Directors Guild reportedly issued a statement on October 4 addressing the backlash surrounding the film. While acknowledging that films can face praise, criticism and harsh reviews, the guild argued that the situation had moved beyond criticism of the work itself.
The organisation said attacks were increasingly being directed at the personal lives and livelihoods of people involved with the movie and warned that criticism of one film should not prevent creators from making future projects. It also expressed support for filmmakers' ability to work in an environment where creative freedom is protected.
19 film organisations raise concerns
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
The response reportedly grew on October 5, when a coalition representing 19 Korean film organisations released a separate statement. The groups said discussion of The Assassin(s) had moved beyond questions about its content and interpretation and was beginning to affect the daily lives and safety of people involved with the film or those who had publicly commented on it.
The coalition stressed that audiences have the right to watch, reject and criticise a film, particularly when it deals with contested historical events. However, it said disagreements over a movie should not turn into threats against individuals, their homes, personal information or livelihoods.
What is the controversy about The Assassin(s)?
The South Korean historical thriller The Assassin(s) (directed by Hur Jin Ho and starring Yoo Hae Jin, Park Hae Il, Lee Min Ho, and Jung Woo-sung) is embroiled in a major controversy over allegations of historical distortion regarding the 1974 assassination attempt on President Park Chung Hee that resulted in the death of First Lady Yuk Young Soo.
Reportedly, while official investigations concluded that the 1974 shooting was carried out by gunman Mun Se-gwang acting under North Korean direction, the film follows fictional investigators who explore whether figures inside President Park's own government or intelligence apparatus could have been involved. Conservative politicians, civil society groups and family members (including Park Chung Hee's son, Park Ji Man) have fiercely condemned the film. They accused the filmmakers of distorting historical facts, insulting the legacy of the late First Lady and maliciously turning citizens against one another. The production team has maintained that the film is a dramatised, fictionalised reconstruction rather than a presentation of established historical fact.
The backlash spilt out of theatres when conservative protesters gathered outside the private home of lead actor Yoo Hae Jin, demanding the movie's screening be halted and calling for apologies from the cast and crew. Due to escalating safety concerns and public pressure, lead actors Yoo Hae Jin and Lee Min Ho withdrew from scheduled appearances and events linked to the Busan International Film Festival.
Actresses like Kim Go Eun and Lee Young Ae, as well as other public figures who recommended or publicly praised the film after attending VIP screenings, faced severe online criticism and boycott threats from angry netizens.
