On January 8, 1974, former President Park Chung-hee declared Emergency Measure No. 1. This was aimed at prohibiting the 'Million Signature Campaign for Constitutional Amendment,' led by figures such as Baek Gi-wan and Jang Jun-ha, who criticized the Yushin Constitution and demanded constitutional reform. Those involved were immediately arrested by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency and sentenced to prison for violating Emergency Measure No. 1.
Years later, the victims of the emergency measures were acquitted in a criminal retrial, but their claims for damages against the South Korean government were not accepted. The Supreme Court's full bench changed its previous rulings from August 2022 to January 2023, recognizing the state's liability for damages related to the emergency measures. Families of the victims, including the relatives of Baek Gi-wan, filed a civil retrial for state compensation earlier this month. Many who sacrificed for democracy during the military dictatorship that began under Park Chung-hee still have not fully escaped the impacts of state violence.
The film 'Assassins,' which premiered at the end of last month, has surpassed 3 million viewers this week. While this is a commendable achievement in the cultural sector, it has sparked controversy and debate in political circles. The film, which centers on the attempted assassination of former President Park and the fatal shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, includes scenes suggesting possible involvement of the upper echelons of the Central Intelligence Agency based on the diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan at the time, leading to accusations of historical distortion. This has contributed to public curiosity about the film's content.
While it is essential to watch a film before evaluating it, I must clarify that this article is not intended for that purpose. Ultimately, I do not plan to watch this film in theaters. I lack the ability to assess any film, and my personal taste does not align with that of the director of 'Assassins.' My curiosity about a genre different from the director's previous works is not enough to motivate me to visit a theater. I may consider watching it at home in the future.
Regardless of the reasons, as a commercial film, it is clear that the more viewers it attracts, the more positively it should be evaluated. In a time when fewer people are going to theaters, the emergence of a successful film is something to be welcomed by those who love cinema. I would like to suggest that the meaningless debates, which label the film as 'immoral' without having seen it, and the absurd act of sending letters demanding the film's screening to be halted at international film festivals, may actually increase interest in the film. Perhaps the louder the opposition to this film grows, the more investors may celebrate in private.
However, beyond criticism of the film, witnessing specific actors being belittled or even seeing extreme protests outside their homes evokes a sense that the specter of state violence, thought to be long gone, has returned. I would like to convey a message to the politicians and far-right groups engaging in such actions: 'Isn't it the case that what you dislike and find uncomfortable in the film is something else entirely?'
President Lee Jae-myung, during the launch of the third term of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Past, invited victims of state violence to the Blue House in August and apologized on behalf of the state. He stated, 'We can no longer pass the long-standing task of addressing past injustices onto the next generation.' Films should be viewed as films. However, 'Assassins' is based on unresolved questions from that era. The existence of victims of state violence remains a stark reality. Regardless of whether the film is well-made or not, it leaves us with the task of re-examining the issues of our time.
Years later, the victims of the emergency measures were acquitted in a criminal retrial, but their claims for damages against the South Korean government were not accepted. The Supreme Court's full bench changed its previous rulings from August 2022 to January 2023, recognizing the state's liability for damages related to the emergency measures. Families of the victims, including the relatives of Baek Gi-wan, filed a civil retrial for state compensation earlier this month. Many who sacrificed for democracy during the military dictatorship that began under Park Chung-hee still have not fully escaped the impacts of state violence.
The film 'Assassins,' which premiered at the end of last month, has surpassed 3 million viewers this week. While this is a commendable achievement in the cultural sector, it has sparked controversy and debate in political circles. The film, which centers on the attempted assassination of former President Park and the fatal shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, includes scenes suggesting possible involvement of the upper echelons of the Central Intelligence Agency based on the diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan at the time, leading to accusations of historical distortion. This has contributed to public curiosity about the film's content.
While it is essential to watch a film before evaluating it, I must clarify that this article is not intended for that purpose. Ultimately, I do not plan to watch this film in theaters. I lack the ability to assess any film, and my personal taste does not align with that of the director of 'Assassins.' My curiosity about a genre different from the director's previous works is not enough to motivate me to visit a theater. I may consider watching it at home in the future.
Regardless of the reasons, as a commercial film, it is clear that the more viewers it attracts, the more positively it should be evaluated. In a time when fewer people are going to theaters, the emergence of a successful film is something to be welcomed by those who love cinema. I would like to suggest that the meaningless debates, which label the film as 'immoral' without having seen it, and the absurd act of sending letters demanding the film's screening to be halted at international film festivals, may actually increase interest in the film. Perhaps the louder the opposition to this film grows, the more investors may celebrate in private.
However, beyond criticism of the film, witnessing specific actors being belittled or even seeing extreme protests outside their homes evokes a sense that the specter of state violence, thought to be long gone, has returned. I would like to convey a message to the politicians and far-right groups engaging in such actions: 'Isn't it the case that what you dislike and find uncomfortable in the film is something else entirely?'
President Lee Jae-myung, during the launch of the third term of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Past, invited victims of state violence to the Blue House in August and apologized on behalf of the state. He stated, 'We can no longer pass the long-standing task of addressing past injustices onto the next generation.' Films should be viewed as films. However, 'Assassins' is based on unresolved questions from that era. The existence of victims of state violence remains a stark reality. Regardless of whether the film is well-made or not, it leaves us with the task of re-examining the issues of our time.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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