The controversy surrounding the film 'Assassins' and its alleged historical distortions has sparked debate over film critic Lee Dong-jin's review. Despite Lee's attempts to clarify his comments, discussions on online platforms continue to intensify.
On September 30, Lee posted a lengthy explanation on his blog regarding the ongoing debate about the film. He stated, "I received notice that the review video for 'Assassins' would be made private due to the ongoing controversy." He identified the contentious remark as, "It cannot simply be dismissed as a conspiracy theory."
Lee explained that this comment arose while discussing how the film addresses unresolved questions about the bullets fired at the National Theater on August 15, 1974, which cannot be easily clarified by official announcements alone. He emphasized, "This does not mean that all hypotheses presented in the film are factual, nor does it imply any connection to the claim that President Park Chung-hee was behind the attack on Yuk Young-soo."
He further clarified that the conspiracy theory is not explicitly presented in the film through dialogue or scenes, and he finds it difficult to accept that his unmade claims are being interpreted as his views.
In response to criticisms suggesting a contradiction between his past comments on the documentary 'The Road to Guantanamo' and his current review, Lee explained that he was highlighting the risks of blurring the lines between actual events and reenactments in politically charged documentaries. He noted that the same standards cannot be applied to a dramatized film like 'Assassins.'
However, he acknowledged that discussions about where to draw the line between fact and fiction in historical dramas are valid. He stated, "My cinematic judgment regarding 'Assassins' remains unchanged. I do not intend to retract or apologize for my review."
Following Lee's blog post, online discussions have resurfaced regarding specific lines from the film. Some users pointed out lines such as, "What if the target was not the President but Mrs. Yuk?" and "If protecting power is more important than a wife's life?"
One user expressed skepticism about Lee's claims, stating, "Did such lines exist? And yet, he claims he couldn't connect them to Park Chung-hee?" Another criticized, "It's unreasonable to say that one cannot think of Park Chung-hee as the mastermind behind the assassination given the context of the film."
Another user sarcastically remarked, "It's inappropriate to think of Park Chung-hee's involvement in the assassination while watching 'Assassins' just like one wouldn't think of a recorder when seeing 'Noh Mu-hyun's' name."
Many users echoed similar sentiments, with comments like, "In 'Squid Game,' you even imagined a devilish creation, yet you can't connect Park Chung-hee to this?" and "It's disgusting how they turn a blind eye to anything unfavorable to them."
Comparisons of Lee's ratings for different films also emerged, with one user noting, "'Assassins' received a score of 3 for its dense perspective, while 'Incheon Landing Operation' and 'Yeonpyeong Sea Battle' both received 1 for their clichéd direction and overt emotional manipulation, raising questions about his review criteria."
Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by the Reform Research Institute, affiliated with the Reform Party, revealed that among 1,017 adults aged 18 and older surveyed on September 29, 58.2% viewed the film's questioning of the Yuk Young-soo incident as 'historical distortion.' In contrast, 27.6% supported 'creative freedom,' while 14.2% were unsure. The highest percentage of those who identified it as 'historical distortion' was among those in their 30s at 73.8%, followed by 65.7% among those aged 18 to 29.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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