The vibes are officially off for the team behind the hit thriller The Assassin(s). While the movie is absolutely dominating the Korean box office—raking in $16.3 million so far—the creative team is dealing with a serious situation as political backlash escalates into personal attacks.
The drama behind the screen
The film, directed by Hur Jin-ho, dives into the 1974 assassination of first lady Yuk Young-soo. While the official historical inquiry blamed the attack on Mun Se-gwang, the movie keeps things open-ended. Critics are losing it, arguing that the film's title—which includes a plural "s"—implies government involvement, which has sparked a massive political firestorm.
Harassment goes lowkey viral
It’s giving main character energy in the worst way. Cast members and even high-profile people who recommended the film are getting flooded with hate comments, and a major YouTube reviewer even deleted their content to avoid the smoke. The situation has become so intense that a former Seoul city councilor has filed a police complaint against the director and producers for defamation. The Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) wasn't having it, issuing a statement defending the creators and calling the harassment an unacceptable "cross-the-line" attack on their livelihoods.
Why it matters
Real talk: this is about more than just a movie. The DGK is standing firm that creators deserve to tell stories without the fear of being "canceled" out of their careers because of controversy. The film is still headed to the Singapore International Film Festival later this month, proving that even when the internet is pressed, the art is still moving forward.
