[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] The film "The Assassin(s)" has surpassed 3 million cumulative viewers, entering the top 5 box office hits for Korean films this year. Despite the controversy, it is showing staying power, with both attendance figures and audience ratings rising in its third week of release.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network on the morning of the 12th, “The Assassin(s)” has surpassed 3 million cumulative viewers. It is the fifth Korean film released this year to reach the 3 million viewer mark.

Starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho, “The Assassin(s)” traces the suspicions and the forces behind the assassination attempt on the First Lady that occurred on August 15, 1974. Controversy over historical distortion arose when some claimed the film portrayed former President Park Chung-hee as the mastermind behind the assassination. Despite the ongoing controversy, the film continues to draw audiences and maintain its box office success.

The film’s box office momentum actually strengthened in its third week of release. From the 5th to the 11th, it drew 758,587 viewers over the course of a week, maintaining the top spot on the weekly overall box office chart for three consecutive weeks. In effect, it has never fallen from the top of the weekly box office since its release.

The third-week attendance figure represents an increase of approximately 90,000 from the 667,698 viewers recorded in the second week. It is noteworthy that, unlike the typical pattern of audience concentration in the early weeks of a release, the film’s ability to draw audiences actually grew stronger in its third week.

Audience reviews are also on the rise. The average rating from actual viewers on Naver has risen from 8.0 to 8.8, and the CGV Golden Egg Index is also showing an upward trend. Regardless of the controversy, attention is focused on whether the film can sustain its long-term box office success as reviews from actual viewers continue to improve.