The South Korean political film The Assassin(s) sparked intense public backlash, protests at actors’ homes, and police involvement after reaching 2,04 million ticket sales in its first 11 days. Directed by Hur Jin Ho and produced by Hive Media Corp, the movie dramatizes the August 15, 1974, assassination of former First Lady Yuk Young Soo, prompting fierce debate over historical distortion and political propaganda.
Box Office Milestone and Public Backlash
The Assassin(s) crossed 2,04 million moviegoers in South Korea after 11 days in theaters, according to data released by the Korean Film Council on October 3, 2026. The film previously crossed the 1,05 million viewer mark on September 26, 2026, having required only four days to reach 1 million viewers. Despite its commercial success, the project triggered immediate controversy for focusing its plot on a conspiracy theory surrounding the fatal shooting, according to coverage from Kompas.com.
Protests at Actor Yoo Hae Jin Home
Conservative civic groups gathered in front of the Seoul residence of actor Yoo Hae Jin on Saturday, October 4, 2026, to demand an immediate halt to the film’s screenings, as reported by Republika. Representatives from the New Liberal Solidarity group accused the production team and cast of historical distortion, comparing the film to North Korean propaganda. Police deployed anti-riot units to manage the demonstration, while the actor’s agency, VAST Entertainment, announced plans for legal action against malicious online attacks and privacy violations.
Hive Media Corp denies allegations of historical distortion
Production company Hive Media Corp released a statement on September 28, 2026, denying all allegations of distortion. The studio maintained that the movie is a fictional work adding cinematic imagination to historical records from 1974, and does not define any specific person as the mastermind behind the assassination, nor does it present its hypotheses or dramatic background as historical fact.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Assassin(s) Controversy
Why did The Assassin(s) face accusations of historical distortion?
The film dramatizes the August 15, 1974, assassination of First Lady Yuk Young Soo—who was killed when Mun Se Gwang targeted President Park Chung Hee—by introducing a plotline that suggests government authorities or the KCIA orchestrated the attack, which critics argue contradicts official historical findings.
What specific actions did agencies take to protect the cast?
Following online harassment and social media attacks against cast members including Lee Min Ho, Ryu Hye Young, and Yoo Hae Jin, VAST Entertainment announced legal action on October 5, 2026, to counter the spread of false information and protect the safety of its actors.
Which groups organized demonstrations against the film’s release?
Conservative civic groups including New Liberal Solidarity and Velado held protests in Seoul on October 4, 2026, demanding apologies from the producers, cast, and Megabox executives, alongside threats of further demonstrations at corporate sponsors like Burger King and Kiwoom Securities.
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