Why are Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Min-ho skipping Busan International Film Festival events for The Assassin(s)?

Hive Media Corp. said the decision was made after careful consideration and with audience and attendee safety in mind. The company said the actors will not attend BIFF’s opening ceremony or the Outdoor Stage Greeting scheduled for Oct. 7.

What historical controversy is The Assassin(s) facing?

Critics have raised concerns that the film implies Park Chung-hee or intelligence authorities may have been behind the 1974 assassination attempt on the president, which killed first lady Yuk Young-soo. The production team denied that the film was made to deny or distort historical facts.

How has the The Assassin(s) controversy affected promotions involving Yoo Hae-jin?

The backlash has spread beyond the festival, with a conservative civic group planning rallies outside Yoo Hae-jin’s home. Kiwoom Securities also stopped an advertising campaign featuring him, and a fast-food chain closed comment sections on its social media marketing posts.

'The Assassin(s)' actors to skip BIFF events amid controversy over historical inaccuracies

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Summary

Actors in The Assassin(s) will skip Busan International Film Festival events amid controversy over alleged historical distortion. Hive Media Corp. said Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Min-ho will not attend the Oct. 7 opening ceremony or Outdoor Stage Greeting after safety concerns. The film has drawn criticism over claims it implies Park Chung-hee or intelligence authorities were behind the 1974 assassination attempt on the president that killed first lady Yuk Young-soo.

Key Facts

Hive Media Corp. said the actors would not participate in BIFF’s opening ceremony or the Outdoor Stage Greeting scheduled for Oct. 7.
An Actor’s House program in which Lee Min-ho was set to meet the audience has also been canceled.
A conservative civic group said it plans to hold rallies outside Yoo Hae-jin’s home to protest the film’s alleged historical inaccuracies.
Kiwoom Securities halted an advertising campaign featuring Yoo Hae-jin, and a fast-food chain shut down its social media comment sections on marketing posts featuring him.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 2, 2026 4:56 pm KST

A digital display promotes the film 'The Assassin(s)' at a cinema in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap — A digital display promotes the film "The Assassin(s)" at a cinema in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Actors who starred in "The Assassin(s)" will not attend events at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the film's distributor said Friday, amid allegations over historical distortion in the Korean film.

The decision comes after some critics raised concerns that the historical film, which deals with the 1974 assassination attempt on then Korean President Park Chung-hee, resulting in the death of the first lady, implies that Park or intelligence authorities were possibly behind the case.

"After careful consideration, and taking into account the safety of audiences and attendees, we have decided not to participate in the BIFF's opening ceremony or the Outdoor Stage Greeting scheduled for Oct. 7," Hive Media Corp. said in an English-language statement posted on its social media account.

Lead actors Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Min-ho were set to take part in the opening ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, while director Hur Jin-ho, actor Park Hae-il and the other two actors were set to participate in the outdoor event the following day to introduce the film.

An "Actor's House" program, in which Lee was set to meet with the audience, has also been canceled.

On Friday, a conservative civic group said it plans to hold rallies outside Yoo's home to protest alleged historical inaccuracies in the film.

The controversy has also affected marketing campaigns involving the actor, with Kiwoom Securities halting an advertising campaign featuring him. A fast-food chain has also shut down its comment sections on social media marketing posts featuring Yoo.

The production team for "The Assassin(s)" has dismissed the allegations, saying the film was not made to deny or distort historical facts.

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