Lee Dong-jin directly clarifies 'Assassin(s)' controversy... "No intention to withdraw evaluation or apologize"

Review Video Made Private... Direct Explanation on 'Conspiracy Theory' Remarks"Not endorsing the theory that former President Park Chung-hee was behind it... My cinematic judgment remains the same."On the morning of the 30th of last month, as controversy surrounding the film 'Assassination(s),' which deals with the assassination of Madam Yuk Young-soo, escalated, a trailer for 'Assassination(s)' is being screened on a large screen at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. / Reporter Seo Ye-won[THE FACT|Reporter Kim Saet-byul] Film critic Lee Dong-jin has directly addressed the privatization of the review video for 'Assassination(s)' and the related controversy. While clarifying remarks that were distorted in context, he made it clear that he would not change his existing evaluation and conviction regarding the film itself.On the 30th of last month, Lee Dong-jin posted a lengthy message on his blog regarding the review video for the film 'Assassination(s).'The review video, previously released on the YouTube channel 'B tv Lee Dong-jin's Paiakia' on the 25th of last month, was made private after internal discussions among the production team due to ongoing disputes about the film. Lee Dong-jin explained that he was informed of the video's privatization by the production team.At the center of the controversy was the remark, "It cannot simply be dismissed as a conspiracy theory," from the review video. Lee Dong-jin pointed out that misunderstandings arose because the statement was quoted out of context.Regarding the remark, he stated, "It was in the process of explaining how the film deals with points that were not easily resolved by the official announcements at the time, such as the whereabouts of the bullets fired at the National Theater on August 15, 1974," and "It did not mean that all hypotheses raised by the film were true, and it had no relation to the claim that former President Park Chung-hee was behind the assassination of Madam Yuk Young-soo."He also responded to the criticism that his past evaluation of the documentary 'The Road to Guantanamo' contradicted his current remarks. He explained that what he pointed out at the time were the problems that could arise when the boundary between actual events and reenactments by actors became blurred.In this regard, Lee Dong-jin emphasized, "While documentaries are based on actual events, 'Assassination(s)' is a fictional film with actors portraying characters," and "The same standard cannot be applied because the audience is aware that it is a dramatized story."However, he added that the extent to which the boundary between fact and fiction should be allowed in a fictional film based on historical events can be discussed, and the work can be criticized from that perspective.He also distanced himself from any connection to political stances. Lee Dong-jin said, "For the past 30 years, I have been criticized alternately by people with completely opposite views while reviewing films," and "The views expressed in this video have no relation to my views as a citizen on the political situation in Korea."He then made it clear that he had no intention of changing his previous evaluation. Lee Dong-jin stated, "My cinematic judgment on 'Assassination(s)' remains the same," and "I have no intention of retracting the evaluation made in the review or apologizing for it. However, I wanted to make it clear what I said and what I did not say."'Assassination(s),' released on the 23rd of last month, is based on the assassination of Madam Yuk Young-soo on August 15, 1974, and tells the story of the investigation into the suspicions and perpetrators of the incident at the time.The film, which reconstructs the actual event with added cinematic imagination, sparked controversy over historical distortion and political interpretation by hinting at the possibility of accomplices, contrary to the official investigation report at the time.sstar1204@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]