The film "The Assassin(s)" has overcome controversy surrounding alleged historical distortion to break even at the box office.
According to data from the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network for movie tickets on October 23, "The Assassin(s)" drew 11,153 moviegoers on October 22, ranking third at the box office. Its cumulative audience stands at 3,306,283.
Inspired by the August 1974 assassination incident of Yuk Young-soo, "The Assassin(s)" faced red flags regarding its commercial performance early in its theatrical run after becoming embroiled in allegations of historical distortion. The film, which raises suspicions and questions about the incident, sparked heated debates over historical distortion versus artistic license, and freedom of expression versus defamation of the deceased, stirring widespread public controversy as it escalated into partisan political rhetoric.
In particular, several politicians demanded that the director appear as a witness and reference person at the parliamentary audit, and called for a screening ban on the film and the recovery of its profits. Additionally, all lawmakers of the People Power Party united to send a letter to the Singapore International Film Festival demanding the cancellation of "The Assassin(s)" as its opening film, leading the festival to issue an official statement confirming it would "screen as scheduled."
Furthermore, the situation escalated to extreme measures threatening the actor's livelihood and personal safety, such as exerting pressure on brands for which Yoo Hai-jin serves as an advertising model and staging demonstrations in front of the actor's home to demand an apology.
However, such pressure surrounding the film failed to stop it from connecting with audiences. Instead, a sentiment of "I will see it with my own eyes and judge for myself" gained traction among moviegoers, triggering a reverse-run phenomenon where ticket sales began to climb starting in its second week of release. As a result, "The Assassin(s)" surpassed 3 million admissions in just 20 days since its premiere and achieved the meaningful milestone of reaching its break-even point in its fifth week of release.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)