The film 'Assassins,' at the center of a historical distortion controversy, has surpassed 3 million viewers. Amid escalating political disputes, accusations against the production team, and inquiries during the National Assembly's audit, the film has seen an increase in audience numbers in its third week of release, with actual viewer ratings also rising. This reflects a divergence between the ongoing debate surrounding the film and the choices made by actual viewers.
According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, 'Assassins' exceeded 3 million cumulative viewers on the 12th day of its release, marking it as the fifth Korean film released this year to reach this milestone.
The film's box office performance has remained strong. 'Assassins' held the top spot at the box office for 15 consecutive days after its release, drawing 758,587 viewers from October 5 to 11, maintaining its position as the weekly box office leader for three weeks in a row.
Notably, the number of viewers in the third week increased compared to the second week. While the second week saw 667,698 viewers, the third week experienced an increase of approximately 90,000. The influx of viewers continued even after the Chuseok holiday, coinciding with the Hangeul Day holiday, contributing to its box office momentum.
Viewer ratings have also improved. According to the distributor, the actual viewer rating on Naver rose from 8.0 to 8.8 since the film's release, and the CGV Golden Egg Index has shown an upward trend. Despite intensified online discussions regarding historical distortion, the evaluations from actual viewers and the film's box office performance have shown improvement.
'Assassins' is inspired by the assassination attempt on First Lady Yuk Young-soo on August 15, 1974. Directed by Heo Jin-ho, the film stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho. It combines real events and records with fictional characters and settings to explore the suspicions and motives behind the incident.
The controversy began with the film's portrayal of the incident's background. While authorities concluded that the attack was carried out by Mun Se-gwang, a Korean resident in Japan, the film introduces characters and scenarios that suggest possible involvement from the Park Chung-hee government or the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Although no specific individuals are named as being behind the incident, this has led to criticism from some political circles and conservative groups, claiming that the film distorts historical facts.
The production team issued an official statement on September 28, asserting, "This film was not made to establish a new historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts." They emphasized that no specific individuals are identified as being behind the incident in the film, and the hypotheses and settings presented are not portrayed as historical facts.
Director Heo also stated in a pre-release interview, "This is not a film that seeks to uncover hidden truths or backgrounds," emphasizing that the focus was on expressing the emotions of characters living in that era during the process of pursuing the truth.
However, the controversy quickly spread beyond the film industry into the political arena. Accusations were made against the production team, and some lawmakers called for the film's screening to be halted. During the Busan International Film Festival, filmmakers including Jeong Ji-young and Lee Myung-se raised concerns at a press conference, emphasizing that the film should not be used as a tool for political conflict and advocating for freedom of expression.
On the 12th, 'Assassins' emerged as a key issue during the National Assembly's audit. Lawmaker Jo Eun-hee of the People Power Party claimed that 4.08 billion won of public funds were invested in the film and demanded the submission of documents related to the investment and evaluation process. She questioned the rationale behind the high evaluation given the potential for historical and political controversy in the content.
Questions also arose regarding the film's rating. 'Assassins' is rated for viewers aged 12 and older. Some lawmakers questioned whether it was appropriate to classify a film containing torture, violence, and profanity as suitable for viewers aged 12 and older, and whether young audiences, lacking sufficient background knowledge of historical events, might accept the film's fictional elements as fact.
In response, the Film Rating and Administration Committee explained that the film's rating is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of various aspects, including themes, explicit content, violence, and dialogue, based on discussions among committee members. They clarified that assessing the truth of historical events is separate from the current rating classification system.
During inquiries regarding the Korean Film Council, the issue of creative and expressive freedom was raised again. Han Sang-jun, the head of the Korean Film Council, stated that the interpretation of films is the audience's responsibility and that there should be no artificial interference in the content of the work. While debates over historical interpretations can occur, he emphasized that it is a different matter for the institution to judge or restrict the content of films.
The ongoing debate surrounding 'Assassins' ultimately raises an age-old question about the extent to which creative freedom should be recognized in films based on actual history. There are arguments that creative works should bear responsibility when dealing with historical facts and real individuals, while others contend that fictional films should not be limited by the constraints of documentaries or history textbooks.
Interestingly, as the controversy has intensified, the film's audience numbers have continued to grow. The number of viewers in the third week increased compared to the second week, and actual viewer ratings have also risen. The ongoing disputes in the political arena and online have not significantly hindered audience choices regarding the film thus far.
'Assassins' has now secured a place among the top five highest-grossing Korean films of the year. Despite the historical distortion controversy extending to the National Assembly audit, over 3 million viewers have flocked to theaters. As the debates over historical interpretation and creative freedom continue, the film's trajectory of controversy and box office success appears set to persist for the foreseeable future.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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