'Assassination' Surpasses 2 Million Viewers in 11 Days Amidst Ongoing Controversy

"Assassins" Surpasses 2 Million Viewers After 11 Days, Following 1 Million Milestone in 4 DaysAmidst Historical Distortion Controversy, Production Team and Film Producers Association Issue StatementsOn the morning of the 30th of last month, as controversy surrounding the film "Assassins" (directed by Huh Jin-ho), which deals with the assassination of Yuk Young-soo, escalated, a trailer for "Assassins" was being screened on a large screen at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. / Reporter Seo Ye-won[THE FACT|Reporter Lee Yoon-kyung] The film "Assassins" (directed by Huh Jin-ho) has surpassed 2 million viewers in 11 days since its release.According to the Korean Film Council's Integrated Network for Film Admissions on the 3rd, the cumulative number of viewers for "Assassins" exceeded 2 million as of 2:35 PM that day. "Assassins" reached the 1 million viewer mark in just 4 days after its release and recorded 2 million viewers on its 11th day.Released on the 23rd of last month, "Assassins" tells the story of the investigation into the suspicions and masterminds behind the assassination of Yuk Young-soo, which shocked South Korea on August 15, 1974. However, controversy has arisen over interpretations of the mastermind behind the incident, leading to ongoing debate.In response, the production team of "Assassins" stated in an official press release on the 28th of last month, "This film is not intended to newly confirm any specific historical conclusion or to deny/distort existing facts." They emphasized, "The film does not designate any specific individual as the mastermind behind the incident. It does not present hypotheses or dramatic settings within the film as historical facts."The Korean Film Producers Association also issued a statement, saying, "It is a natural and necessary process for diverse evaluations and criticisms of films and cultural art works to be freely made." They added, "Especially for works that deal with historical events or real individuals, different opinions can be raised depending on the audience's perspective and interpretation, and these diverse voices should be respected."However, they expressed concern about the situation where "excessive criticism is being directed at individual creators, including the production company, director, actors, and staff, solely for their participation in the work." They further stated, "In order for Korean films to freely deal with diverse subjects and stories, an environment is needed where audiences' free evaluation and criticism are guaranteed, and at the same time, creators can engage in their work without concern for excessive external pressure."bsom1@tf.co.kr