According to police on October 13, Seoul’s Jongno Police Station summoned former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Lee Jong Bae at approximately 1 PM to question him as the complainant in a criminal case filed against the film’s production team.
On September 29, Lee filed a criminal complaint against four individuals involved in the movie, accusing them of defamation through the dissemination of false information. Those named in the complaint include Kim Won Guk, CEO of Hive Media Corp and the film’s producer; director Hur Jin Ho; and screenwriters Kwon Ki Joon and Lee Ji Min.
Lee argued that The Assassin(s), which depicts the shooting of former First Lady Yuk Young Soo, suggests the possibility of government-level involvement in the assassination. According to the former council member, the film could lead audiences to believe that former President Park Chung Hee was connected to the incident, despite the absence of an established factual basis for such an interpretation.
Before attending the police questioning, Lee held a press conference outside Jongno Police Station, where he explained his reasons for filing the complaint. “The fundamental question is whether society should allow a film like this,” he stated. He further argued that the assassination of Yuk Young Soo had been officially established as an act committed solely by Mun Se Gwang, but that the film had reconstructed the events in a way that encouraged audiences to suspect the existence of a hidden mastermind. He maintained that such a portrayal amounted to defamation of the deceased former First Lady.
Released on September 23, The Assassin(s) became embroiled in controversy over its interpretation of the historical assassination. Critics accused the film of suggesting that individuals other than Mun Se Gwang, who was officially identified as the perpetrator by the special investigation headquarters at the time, may have been involved. The movie also drew criticism for allegedly implying possible involvement by the ruling administration. As tensions escalated, threats reportedly emerged against cast members, including actor Yoo Hae Jin, particularly from individuals associated with conservative groups. Following a request from the actor’s agency, police began providing protective measures on October 6.
Responding to the controversy, the film’s production team denied that the movie identified any particular individual as the mastermind behind the assassination. “Nowhere in the film do we designate a specific person as being behind the incident,” the filmmakers explained. They emphasized that The Assassin(s) is a fictional feature film that reconstructs historical events through cinematic imagination rather than presenting its narrative as a definitive historical account. Despite the ongoing dispute, the movie has continued to perform strongly at the South Korean box office, surpassing 3 million admissions.
Sources: Daum