The controversy surrounding the film 'Assassins' has extended beyond the movie itself, sparking debates over historical distortion.
Lee Min-ho, who plays a reporter in the film, has faced backlash on social media, with comments such as, "I'm disappointed you took part in this film" and "Did you know it was historically inaccurate when you signed on?" This surge of negative comments is unusual for his social media, which is typically filled with supportive messages from fans worldwide.
Another lead actor, Yoo Hae-jin, has seen calls for the termination of his endorsement deal with Burger King, which began on September 16, leading to the disabling of comments on the related YouTube ads as of September 30.
The backlash has not only targeted the cast but also critics and reviewers who have praised the film. Film critic Lee Dong-jin posted a review on his YouTube channel 'B tv Lee Dong-jin's Piakya' on September 25, but after receiving over 7,000 negative comments, the production team made the video private on September 29. A related video by Ji Movie, a YouTube channel with 4.17 million subscribers, has also been removed, although a direct link to the controversy has not been confirmed.
Actors Lee Young-ae and Kim Go-eun expressed their admiration for the film in recommendations shared by the production team for a VIP screening, stating, "I was thrilled and moved. Director Heo Jin-ho is the best," and "I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the present." Following these comments, their social media accounts were flooded with criticism, including remarks like, "Get a grip" and "How can you be thrilled about a film that distorts history?" Lee Young-ae has a long-standing relationship with director Heo Jin-ho, having worked together on the 2001 film 'Spring Days'.
'Assassins' is based on the 1974 assassination attempt on former President Park Chung-hee by Mun Se-gwang, which resulted in the death of First Lady Yuk Young-soo. The film includes scenes suggesting possible involvement of the regime or the Central Intelligence Agency, leading to accusations of historical distortion. The Park Chung-hee Memorial Foundation issued a statement on September 28, demanding the film's screening be halted and an official apology. The production team responded, stating, "This film was not made to establish new historical conclusions or to deny or distort existing facts."
There is a notable disparity between audience ratings and online reviews. As of September 30, the actual viewer rating on Naver stands at 8.2, while the netizen rating is only 2.2. The actual viewer rating is based on 1,737 participants who must verify their ticket purchase, whereas the netizen rating has over 59,000 participants who can leave comments regardless of whether they have seen the film.
Naver announced on September 29 that it had taken emergency measures due to issues with duplicate reviews and counts of likes and dislikes on some films. While the announcement did not specify which film was affected, it is interpreted as a reference to 'Assassins.'
This situation has raised concerns that political interpretations of content are leading to indiscriminate attacks on individuals involved, potentially stifling creative and critical activities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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