'The Assassin(s)' controversy divides viewers at Busan film festival

By Baek Byung-yeul

• Published Oct 8, 2026 5:08 PM KST

BUSAN — Amid escalating controversy over the film "The Assassin(s)," visitors at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) are far from united in their views. Among those aware of the dispute, opinions were split between discomfort and support for creative freedom.

The film dramatizes the 1974 assasination attempt on then-President Park Chung-hee, which led to the fatal shooting of then-first lady Yuk Young-soo. Conservative political circles and civic groups accuse it of misrepresenting history, and a defamation complaint against the filmmakers has led to police investigations.

The dispute has reached the festival itself. Cast and crew canceled their attendance at BIFF, citing safety concerns, while the culture ministry and the film community called for a strict response to threats against them. Actors Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Min-ho skipped the opening ceremony, and an outdoor stage greeting and a talk program were canceled. The festival said it had no particular position to make on the controversy.

On Wednesday, the festival's competition jury members addressed the dispute at a press conference. Jury president Zhang Yimou, who said he had not seen the film, said, "Creation is creation," adding that viewers can interpret a film differently. Korean director July Jung said filmmakers bear full responsibility for their work and should expect both praise and criticism, though the recent backlash had made her uneasy.

Ordinary visitors offered more mixed views.

A university student in his 20s from Seoul said he had watched "The Assassin(s)" and wasn't especially conscious of the issue afterward.

"But once it became controversial, I realized people could react in such different ways," he said. "The production company had promoted it as the first movie to dramatize this incident before its release. After the controversy, I understood why this tragic event had never been made into a film until now."

He said he came to Busan because many films he likes are being released, including Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Look Back.” He also praised the festival organizers for quickly reflecting the global rise of animation. The festival has added a special program this year in response to animation's global box office success.

"I want to give the organizers high marks for their keen sense of the trend," he said.

Visiting with friends, a woman in her 40s said she had seen the movie and believed it should be viewed within the bounds of dramatic imagination and creative freedom.

"It is a sensitive subject, that's true," she said. "But I felt the film focused less on the assassination itself than on the aftermath, highlighting the violence and authoritarianism of that era. I respect the views of those who dislike it, but threatening the actors seems excessive."

Older Busan residents were more conflicted. A group of men in their 70s, relaxing in the shade of the outdoor screening area, said freedom of expression matters. But for them, the incident is still a shocking memory, and they felt uneasy seeing it depicted this way.

"It's bitter," one of them said. "It's still a shocking memory for us. It's hard to accept that people made that memory into a movie as entertainment."

Still, he had words of encouragement for filmmakers.

"When making films based on modern history, I hope filmmakers at least respect certain limits,” he said. "But I want to cheer on the people who make movies. I hope they keep creating with confidence. We come here for walks even when there's no festival. I hope the festival does well and brings more visitors to Busan."

Several overseas tourists said they were unaware of the controversy. They said they visited Busan as travelers and came to see the festival, which they knew of as a well-known film event in Asia.

BIFF runs through Oct. 15 at Busan Cinema Center and other venues across the city.