Singapore Film Festival keeps 'The Assassin(s)' as opener despite South Korean PPP demand

Mixed · 2The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is keeping Hur Jin-ho's South Korean thriller "The Assassin(s)" as the opening film of its 37th edition, which runs from Oct 21 to Nov 1. 1 2 Mixed · 2The decision followed a letter sent on Tuesday (Oct 6) to SGIFF executive director Jeremy Chua in the names of all 109 People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers, which expressed "deep regret" at the choice and urged the festival to reverse it immediately. 2 1 Left · 1Variety reports the letter was sent under the name of floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik. It argued that the film distorts history by leaving room to read then-President Park Chung-hee as linked to the killing of his wife, and it cited a survey of 1,017 adults in which 58.2% called the film a distortion of history and 27.6% saw it as creative freedom. 2

Mixed · 2The letter said the party respects artistic freedom and festival independence but that "creative freedom does not mean freedom from responsibility regarding historical facts", and that opening an international festival with the film carries particular significance. 1 2 Mixed · 2SGIFF's statement did not mention the PPP. It said only that it was aware of the debate, that the film was chosen through an independent curatorial process "for its artistic merit and contribution to contemporary Asian cinema", and that the filmmakers describe it as an imagined work mixing real events with fictional characters, not made to settle history, distort facts or serve a political purpose. 2 1 Mixed · 2The festival also pointed to the film's reception at home, about 2.5 million admissions since it opened in Korea on Sept 23; Variety adds it cited Korean Film Council data and seat occupancy of around 47% over the Chuseok holiday. 2 1

Mixed · 2The film is set around the Aug 15, 1974 shooting at a Liberation Day ceremony in Seoul, in which Yuk Young-soo, wife of President Park Chung-hee, was killed. The official inquiry blamed gunman Mun Se-gwang, who it said acted on North Korean-linked instructions; the film declines to name a culprit, and CNA says it raises questions about possible involvement of Park and intelligence officials, while Variety says detractors argue its open ending points to Park or his government. 2 1 Left · 1The producers said in a Sept 28 statement that no specific individual is defined as being behind the incident in the film and that its hypotheses are not presented as historical fact. 2 Mixed · 2The backlash in South Korea has gone beyond the festival request. About 50 conservative protesters gathered outside lead actor Yoo Hae-jin's home on Oct 4 (as reported by The Korea Times, per CNA), and police placed Yoo under protective measures on Oct 6, including an emergency smartwatch and extra patrols. A conservative group said it would picket his home daily until the end of the month. 1 2

Mixed · 2The Busan International Film Festival cancelled a career conversation with Lee Min-ho on Oct 1, and distributor Hive Media Corp. withdrew cast and crew from Busan appearances on safety grounds. 2 1 Mixed · 2Industry bodies including the Producers Guild, Cinematographers Guild and Directors Guild of Korea have defended the filmmakers and criticised pressure on those who worked on the film; CNA reports a coalition of 19 industry organisations did so. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young condemned threats against the cast and crew and said at an Oct 7 parliamentary audit that government should not intervene in the content of artistic works. 2 1 Left · 1Variety also reports that a former PPP Seoul city councilor, Lee Jong-bae, asked police to investigate Hur, Hive Media CEO Kim Won-kuk and writers Kwon Ki-jun and Lee Ji-min for defamation, and that PPP lawmakers' attempt to summon Hur to a parliamentary audit was blocked by the Democratic Party. 2

Mixed · 2The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It is due to open SGIFF on Oct 21 at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, with a second screening on Oct 22 at the National Museum of Singapore; Hur and cast members Shim Eun-kyung and Park Sung-hoon are expected to attend. 1 2