Conservative groups rally at actor Yoo Hae-jin's home over Korean film history row
In short
Conservative civic groups held a rally outside actor Yoo Hae-jin's home in Seoul on Oct. 4, demanding that the film ‘암살자(들)’ be taken off screens and that its producers and actors apologize. A second group planned a rally at the production company Hive Media Corp, and organizers said they would seek advertising contract cancellations at Burger King and Kiwoom Securities. The film passed 2 million admissions on Oct. 3, its 11th day in cinemas, despite the continuing dispute over its portrayal of the 1974 shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo.
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Conservative civic groups held a rally in front of actor Yoo Hae-jin's home in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 4, demanding that the film ‘암살자(들)’ be taken off screens and that its producers and actors apologize. Shinjayoo Yeondae and Velado organized the rally, according to Yonhap, Newsis, Maeil Business and Chosun Ilbo. Police gave an unofficial estimate of about 50 participants; no official figure was released. Newsis reported that participants chanted for the producers and actors to apologize to the bereaved family and the deceased, and for Megabox executives to apologize and be disciplined. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 14 ]
Shinjayoo Yeondae head Kim Sang-jin called the film a political propaganda work and demanded an immediate halt to screenings, a public apology and a pledge to prevent recurrence, CBS NoCut News reported. He said the group would keep boycotting companies that use politically active entertainers as advertising models and would visit the headquarters of Burger King and Kiwoom Securities, where Yoo is a model, to demand contract cancellations. Velado said Yoo should also appear in right-wing films, Yonhap reported. CBS NoCut News said Yoo was not at home and that supporters and far-right YouTubers had gathered. A second group, Hohguk Yeonhap Bangpaedan, planned a 3 p.m. rally at Hive Media Corp's building, with 30 people reported. [ 5 , 7 , 10 , 11 ]
The film, directed by Hur Jin-ho, follows police officer Chul-gu (Yoo Hae-jin), newspaper city desk editor Jae-hwan (Park Hae-il) and rookie reporter Young-il (Lee Min-ho) as they trace the truth of the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, Seoul Economic Daily reported. Yonhap said the film hints at a conclusion different from the government's official announcement that Yuk was killed by a bullet fired by Korean-Japanese Moon Se-gwang. Seoul Economic Daily said a scene raises the possibility that the KCIA was behind the incident, which drew criticism of historical distortion from political circles and conservative groups. [ 5 , 7 ]
The production team said the film “was not made to newly establish a specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts”, Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily reported. [ 5 , 7 ]
The controversy has not dented its box office performance. According to the Korea Film Council's integrated network, the film recorded 2,045,495 cumulative admissions as of Oct. 3, passing 2 million on its 11th day in cinemas and topping the Korean film box office, Seoul Economic Daily reported. Maeil Business reported it held the top spot in the Korean film reservation rate for 20 consecutive days and drew about 1.407 million admissions during the Chuseok holiday of Sept. 24-27. As of 3 p.m. on Oct. 3 its booking rate was 16.9 percent, second overall. [ 7 , 11 ]
Political and industry reactions continued. Maeil Business reported that the main opposition People Power Party decided to send a letter in all its lawmakers' names to the Singapore International Film Festival asking it to withdraw the film as its opening selection, and that Rep. Joo Jin-woo demanded the recovery of 14 billion won in Korea Development Bank and 14.2 billion won in IBK Industrial Bank indirect investment and an investigation into it. Korea Economic Daily reported the two banks said there had been no external requests or intervention. Rep. Na Kyung-won raised suspicions about Naver's change to the sorting of its film ratings board, while Naver said abnormal traffic had been found and asked police to investigate. Industry groups including the Korean Film Producers Association urged restraint. [ 7 , 8 , 11 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that Hive Media Corp cancelled its Busan International Film Festival schedule, including the Oct. 7 outdoor stage greeting, after the festival announced the cancellation of the Oct. 7 “Actors House: Lee Min-ho” event on Oct. 1 following the production company's request. The report also said comments on an advertisement featuring Yoo Hae-jin had been disabled, and that the Korean Film Producers Association expressed concern about unverified information and excessive criticism aimed at individual creators. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The rallies mark a shift from political criticism of the film to protests aimed at an individual actor and his advertising contracts, a step film industry groups have warned against. The dispute has also reached the Busan International Film Festival schedule, the main opposition party and questions about state bank funding for the production, and it continues while the film is still drawing large audiences. Whether the campaign affects advertisers or the film's run is not yet clear from the documents.
Key facts
- Conservative groups Shinjayoo Yeondae and Velado held a rally on Oct. 4 in front of actor Yoo Hae-jin's home in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, over the film ‘암살자(들)’. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]
- Police gave an unofficial estimate of about 50 participants at the rally; no official figure was reported. [ 5 , 7 , 11 , 12 ]
- The groups demanded that screenings be stopped and that the producers and actors make a public apology and pledge to prevent recurrence. [ 5 , 7 , 10 , 11 ]
- Organizers said they would visit the headquarters of Burger King and Kiwoom Securities, where Yoo Hae-jin is an advertising model, to demand contract cancellations. [ 5 , 7 , 11 ]
- A second group, Hohguk Yeonhap Bangpaedan, planned a 3 p.m. rally in front of production company Hive Media Corp's building, with 30 people reported. [ 5 , 7 , 11 ]
- The film recorded 2,045,495 cumulative admissions as of Oct. 3, passing 2 million on its 11th day and topping the Korean film box office, according to the Korea Film Council's integrated network. [ 7 , 11 ]
- The production team said the film was not made to newly establish a specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts. [ 5 , 7 ]
- CBS NoCut News reported that Yoo Hae-jin was not at his home at the time of the rally. [ 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A rally was held on Oct. 4 in front of actor Yoo Hae-jin's home in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, by the conservative groups Shinjayoo Yeondae and Velado, with a police unofficial estimate of about 50 participants. [ 5 , 7 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]
- The groups demanded that the film's screenings be stopped and that its producers and actors make a public apology and a pledge to prevent recurrence. [ 5 , 7 , 10 , 11 ]
- The film deals with the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo and drew criticism that it suggests a conclusion different from the government's official account. [ 5 , 7 , 11 ]
- The production team said the film was not made to newly establish a specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts. [ 5 , 7 ]
- The film passed 2 million cumulative admissions on Oct. 3, its 11th day of release, at 2,045,495 admissions. [ 7 , 11 ]
Still unclear
- The size of the rally Documents cite only a police unofficial estimate of about 50 people; no official attendance figure was given.
- Whether Yoo Hae-jin was at his home during the rally Only CBS NoCut News addresses this, reporting that he was not there, and it attributes the information to what was said rather than to a confirmed source.
- Allegations about state bank funding for the film and whether outside influence was involved Reported only in a Korea Economic Daily teaser; Korea Development Bank and IBK Industrial Bank said there was no external request or intervention, but the documents give no detail of the allegations or the amount involved.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Oct. 2: Hankook Ilbo reports that production company Hive Media Corp cancelled its Busan International Film Festival schedule, including the Oct. 7 outdoor stage greeting, citing the safety of audiences and attendees. [ 1 ]
- Oct. 4: Conservative groups Shinjayoo Yeondae and Velado begin a rally in front of actor Yoo Hae-jin's home in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, demanding an end to screenings and an apology. [ 5 , 6 , 10 , 11 ]
- Oct. 4: Hohguk Yeonhap Bangpaedan is scheduled to hold a rally in front of Hive Media Corp's building demanding an apology to the public and the bereaved family, with 30 people reported. [ 5 , 7 , 11 ]