The film 'Assassins,' starring Yoo Hae-jin (유해진), Park Hae-il (박해일), and Lee Min-ho (이민호), premiered on September 23. Actresses Lee Young-ae (이영애) and Kim Go-eun (김고은) recently found themselves unexpectedly caught in a historical interpretation dispute surrounding the movie after sharing their recommendations. As some politicians and related groups questioned the film's alleged 'historical distortion,' the actresses' Instagram accounts became targets for online users, with numerous critical comments pouring in, escalating the controversy.
Directed by Hur Jin-ho (허진호), 'Assassins' is a suspense thriller set against the backdrop of the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo (육영수) during the Liberation Day ceremony on August 15, 1974. The film investigates the suspicious circumstances and hidden truths behind the incident.
On the day of the film's release, production company Hive Media Corp. unveiled handwritten recommendations from several celebrities. Lee Young-ae wrote, "It was thrilling and moving, truly spectacular. Director Hur Jin-ho is the best!" Kim Go-eun stated, "It made me appreciate everything I have even more. I hope everyone watches it and feels it together!"
According to Korean box office statistics, the film attracted 134,460 viewers on its opening day, topping the daily box office. As of the morning of September 29, cumulative admissions had reached 1,633,621.
While the box office performance initially seemed smooth, the film unexpectedly sparked controversy over its historical interpretation. Some politicians recently questioned whether 'Assassins' distorts history. On September 28, People Power Party lawmakers Koo Ja-keun (구자근) and Kang Myung-goo (강명구) held a press conference at the National Assembly, asserting, "Do not use historical tragedies as box office tools."
The two argued that by using the assassination of Yuk Young-soo as its subject, parts of the film's plot suggest a possible connection between the then-power elite, including former President Park Chung-hee (박정희), and the incident. They criticized the film for potentially distorting history. Jang Dong-hyuk (장동혁), also of the People Power Party, criticized the film's content via social media and raised further questions regarding "freedom of expression."
In response to the controversy, the film's production team issued an official statement, emphasizing that 'Assassins' is a fictional drama inspired by the historical event of 1974, referencing various records related to the incident, and reimagined with cinematic imagination. The production team stated that they extensively researched public records, related materials, books, and documentaries. While drawing inspiration from real events and figures, they also incorporated fictional characters and plots to complete the film's narrative.
The production team stressed, "This work was not produced to re-establish a specific historical conclusion, nor to deny or distort existing facts. The film does not define any specific individual as the mastermind behind the incident, nor does it present the film's hypotheses or dramatic settings as historical facts."
The production team also acknowledged that various interpretations and criticisms are inevitable when a work is based on historical events and real figures. While respecting differing opinions, they emphasized that the film was not produced for specific political purposes and hoped audiences would view it as a "creative product."
Meanwhile, the Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation also issued a statement, expressing strong regret and opposition to the "distortion of a historical tragedy that brought indelible pain to former President Park Chung-hee and his family."
The foundation pointed out that claiming the then-president orchestrated his wife's assassination for political purposes could severely distort historical facts. It also expressed concern about the use of a national tragedy for entertainment and box office gain, which could lead to social division and public discord.
As the controversy intensified, Lee Young-ae and Kim Go-eun were unexpectedly affected. Some online users seemingly "targeted" the actresses on social media, flooding the comment sections of their posts with criticism regarding their recommendations for 'Assassins.'
Comments directly addressed to Lee Young-ae included: "Did you really write that review?" "I never thought you were this kind of person," "Wake up," "Even for a social occasion, 'thrilling' is too much, isn't it?" and "You just wrote those words without understanding, didn't you?"
Kim Go-eun's social media also saw a large number of critical comments, with some calling for a "boycott" and asking, "You didn't write this thinking the movie was historical truth, did you?" "Read history again," and "Did you sleep during history class?"
Currently, the controversy continues to escalate online in Korea. What were initially simple movie recommendations from the two actresses have unexpectedly drawn them into a public storm due to the film's historical interpretation dispute.
