South Korean historical thriller The Assassin(s) has crossed 2 million moviegoers, but the film’s box office success has come alongside a growing controversy. Its fictional take on the 1974 assassination attempt on then-President Park Chung Hee and shooting of first lady Yuk Young Soo has angered conservative groups, triggered legal action and led to online attacks against the cast. Directed by Hur Jin Ho, the film stars Yoo Hae Jin, Park Hae Il, Lee Min Ho and Jung Woo Sung and revisits one of the most politically sensitive incidents in modern Korean history.
The film had its premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2026 but the actors decided to withdraw from Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) 2026 following immense backlash.
Korean film organisations speak out
In an interview with YouTube channel ‘Bong Ji-wook’s Off the Record’ on September 30, the filmmaker said, “The actors and staff worked so hard on this, but I never expected it to be belittled like this, and the actors are all struggling. “After careful consideration and taking into account the safety of audiences and attendees, we have decided not to participate in the Busan International Film Festival Opening Ceremony or the Outdoor Stage Greeting scheduled for October 7. It’s devastating to see frames being imposed due to the historical distortion controversy.
The strongest political criticism has come from South Korea’s conservative People Power Party (PPP). The PPP also drafted a letter to the Singapore International Film Festival asking for The Assassin(s) to be withdrawn as its opening film. The film has also become the subject of a police complaint. Former Seoul city councilor Lee Jong Bae filed a criminal complaint against the head of the production company, the director and the screenwriters, accusing them of defaming the dead. The criticism has increasingly been directed at people associated with the film rather than just the film itself. Yoo Hae Jin has become one of the main targets. A right-wing civic group led by Kim Sang Jin obtained police permits to hold daily protests outside the actor’s home in Seongbuk Gu, Seoul. Other celebrities have also been targeted for publicly supporting the film. Lee Young Ae and Kim Go Eun attended the VIP screening and later faced a wave of hostile comments online. Both actors were subsequently criticised online by people who accused them of being insensitive to the historical controversy. The organisations also warned about the possible impact on the country’s film industry. After carefully reviewing the current situation surrounding the film, we made this decision to ensure everyone’s safety and allow the event to proceed smoothly. We sincerely apologize to everyone who has been looking forward to these events, and deeply appreciate your understanding,” the official statement read.
Lawmaker Yoo Young Ha, a close aide to former President Park Geun Hye, described the film as an “immoral act that hurts the bereaved and betrays history”. The group said it would continue the demonstrations until Yoo agreed to appear in “right-wing films” to balance his political filmography. Lee described the film as “thrilling and deeply moving”, while Kim said she felt “deeply grateful for the present”. Ryu Hye Young also faced boycott calls after she described the movie as “very fun”. Hur Jin Ho has pushed back against the claim that The Assassin(s) directly says Park Chung Hee ordered the shooting. Interpreting the film in that way is “illogical”, according to the director. They said filmmakers should be able to face criticism for their work without having their personal lives and careers targeted, stressing: “Creators may face criticism for their work, but such criticism should not escalate to destroying their personal lives or livelihoods.
