[Edaily Reporter YUN GI BACK ] Controversy over historical distortion surrounding the movie “The Assassin(s)” is spreading like wildfire. Director Heo Jin-ho and other members of the production team have been reported to the police, and allegations of Chinese capital inflows have also surfaced.

According to political circles on the 29th, Lee Jong-bae, a former Seoul City Council member from the People Power Party, filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against four individuals—including “Assassins” director Heo Jin-ho, Kim Won-guk, CEO of production company Hive Media Corp., and screenwriters Kwon Gi-jun and Lee Ji-min—on charges of defamation through the dissemination of false information. The Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation also demanded an official apology and the suspension of screenings, while raising the possibility of legal action.

“The Assassin(s),” which opened on the 23rd, is inspired by the August 15, 1974, shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo and follows the investigation into the suspicions and forces behind the incident. Although it is a mystery thriller that blends cinematic imagination with real-life events, criticism over historical distortion is mounting due to scenes in which characters suggest the possibility that President Park Chung-hee’s camp may have planned the shooting of First Lady Yuk.

People Power Party Chairman Jang Dong-hyuk and lawmakers Yoo Young-ha and Ju Jin-woo raised concerns that day about historical distortion and defamation of the deceased. Chairman Jang pointed out, “If you touch on President Roh Moo-hyun, you’ll face a string of lawsuits and criminal complaints, but insulting President Park Chung-hee is called freedom of expression,” adding, “Is freedom of expression the exclusive domain of the left?” Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon also criticized the film, saying, “If a movie had portrayed the May 18 Uprising or the Sewol ferry disaster differently from the facts, it would have faced severe criticism,” and added, “‘The Assassin(s)’ also deserves to be criticized.”

The production team repeatedly clarified that there was no political intent. The production company, Hive Media Corp., stated, “This film was not produced to reaffirm specific historical conclusions or to deny or distort existing facts,” and Director Heo also explained, “The purpose was not to reveal hidden forces behind the scenes, but to capture the suspicion, fear, and anguish of the people at that time.”

The situation is further fueling the controversy as allegations of Chinese capital inflows have surfaced. Allegations of investment linked to Chinese financial firms have been raised, primarily by People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo and others. These allegations are based on media reports from 2023 suggesting that the CLSA Capital consortium—known to be an affiliate of China’s CITIC Group—was pursuing a 40 billion won investment in Hive Media Corp. Although the production company refuted the claims, stating, “There was absolutely no inflow of Chinese capital during the production or investment process,” the controversy shows no signs of abating.

As the political back-and-forth continues, the film’s box office momentum appears to have slowed. “The Assassin(s)” held the top spot at the box office for five consecutive days after its release, but on the 28th, it ceded the top spot to “Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub” and slipped to second place. The cumulative audience count stands at 1.63 million. The film’s rating on Naver has dropped to 2.1 out of 10.