[Sportschosun reporter Lee Ji-hyun] 'Assassin(s),' a film about the shooting of Yuk Young-soo, is facing controversy over historical distortion, while criticism targeting its cast has gone too far. Yoo Hae-jin, who plays the lead, has even been subjected to remarks mocking his appearance by a lawmaker from the main opposition party, sparking controversy.
According to sources in political circles and online communities on the 30th, Joo Jin-woo, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, recently left a comment reading "North Korean-looking" on a social media post by an online user who mentioned Yoo Hae-jin.
The online user claimed that Yoo Hae-jin had appeared in numerous productions dealing with North Korea, anti-Japanese sentiment, and military regimes, among other subjects, and criticized him by saying, "Just go live in North Korea." Joo then left the brief comment "North Korean-looking," which was interpreted as targeting Yoo Hae-jin's appearance.
However, it is speculative to determine Yoo Hae-jin's choice of roles or political leanings solely from the fact that he appeared in films dealing with North Korea. In the works mentioned, his characters were not figures from North Korea; they included a gangster, a detective struggling to make a living, and a resident of a rural village overrun by North Korean troops during the Korean War.
Yoo Hae-jin plays Cheol-gu, a detective responsible for security at the scene during the shooting of Yuk Young-soo, in 'Assassin(s),' directed by Hur Jin-ho and released on the 23rd. He co-stars with Park Hae-il, Minho, and others.
'Assassin(s)' is a mystery thriller inspired by the shooting of Yuk Young-soo on August 15, 1974. Since its release, controversy has continued over the film's reconstruction of the historical event, with political circles divided between criticism that it distorts history and counterarguments invoking creative freedom.
Online attacks have continued against not only Yoo Hae-jin but also other entertainers associated with 'Assassin(s).' Actors including Kim Go-eun, Ryu Hye-young, and Lee Young-ae, who posted recommendations for the film along the lines of "I felt deeply grateful for the present. Please be sure to watch it together and experience it for yourselves," were also subjected to a barrage of malicious comments from some online users. As the political battle over the film's reconstruction of the historical event intensifies, criticism appears to be spreading to entertainers who participated in the film or publicly supported it.
The production team stated, "This film was not made to establish a new, specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts," describing it as a fictional feature film that adds cinematic imagination to historical records.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
