Han Jeong-su breaks political silence to address 'The Assassin' history controversy

Actor Han Jeong-su has weighed in on the historical distortion controversy surrounding "The Assassin," a film inspired by the 1974 shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo, saying the movie should be viewed as a film, not a documentary.

On Thursday, Han posted an image on his Instagram that read: "Let's watch a movie as a movie. It's not a documentary. Why all the fuss … " He offered no further explanation.

Directed by Heo Jin-ho, "The Assassin" is a mystery thriller inspired by the shooting of Yuk Young-soo at a Liberation Day ceremony on Aug. 15, 1974. The film stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho and opened on Sept. 23.

Since its release, the film has drawn criticism for incorporating unverified allegations alongside actual modern history, with some calling it a distortion of the historical record. Political figures also raised concerns that the film could misrepresent the circumstances of the shooting. The Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation called for the film to be pulled from theaters and demanded a formal apology from the production company.

The filmmakers responded in a statement on Monday, saying "The Assassin" was not made to establish new historical conclusions or to deny or distort established facts, describing it as "a work reconstructed by adding cinematic imagination to records related to the actual events." They also said the film does not identify any specific individual as the mastermind behind the shooting.

Meanwhile, Han had announced on Sept. 9 that he would stop making political statements, saying, "I am grateful to everyone who has supported me and criticized me. I will now return to my place and live faithfully."