‘Assassin(s)’ production team's official position: “No political intent; please view it solely as a creative work” - 스포츠경향
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Amid controversy both within and outside political circles over historical distortion and conspiracy theories, the production team of the film ‘Assassin(s)’ issued an official statement, drawing a line by saying that “it is not a film produced with a specific political intent.”
On the 28th, the ‘Assassin(s)’ production team explained the production background through a statement, saying that “this work is a feature film reconfigured by taking a historical incident that occurred in 1974 as its motif and adding cinematic imagination to the records from the time,” and that “we conducted extensive research on public records and materials, books, and documentaries, and completed it by combining fictional characters and situations with real events and people.”
They further clarified regarding the distortion controversy that “it is not a film made to newly establish a particular historical conclusion or to deny·distort existing facts,” and that “nowhere in the film is any specific person identified as being behind the incident, nor are in-film hypotheses and dramatic devices presented as historical fact.”
A scene from the film ‘Assassin(s)’. Provided by Hive Media Corp
The production team also said, “because it is based on a historical incident and real people, there can be diverse interpretations and criticisms, and we respect such views,” while requesting, “since it is not a film produced for a specific political purpose beyond the inherent creative intent and character of the work, please view it only as a product of creation.”
Directed by Hur Jin-ho and starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho, ‘Assassin(s)’ is a mystery pursuit drama that follows suspicions and the background behind the shooting of Mrs. Yuk Young-soo on August 15, 1974. It surpassed 1 million viewers just four days after release and is on a box-office roll; however, controversy has intensified as opposition political circles and others strongly objected to the setting, which addresses suspicions that differ from the official announcement of the incident and the possibility of involvement at the level of the regime, denouncing it as a ‘Park Chung-hee mastermind conspiracy theory’. In addition, disputes over standards of criticism surrounding a review by film critic Lee Dong-jin have further fueled the matter, which has escalated into a political and social issue.
