Hong Jun-pyo calls historical distortion in film 'act of a traitor,' not artistic freedom

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo said historical distortion is "not artistic freedom," weighing in on the controversy surrounding the film "The Assassin," which depicts the shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo and has drawn criticism for allegedly distorting historical facts.

Hong made the remarks Thursday in a Facebook post, writing that "no matter how much it is a film, if it distorts even historical facts, that is not freedom of expression but an abuse of freedom under the guise of freedom of expression."

He added that while "revisionist historical views that even recast the Korean War as a South Korean invasion gained currency after liberation," distorting history is "an act of a traitor that commits a sin against history."

"The Assassin" is based on the Aug. 15, 1974 Liberation Day ceremony, during which Yuk Young-soo was fatally shot as Zainichi Korean Mun Se-gwang attempted to assassinate President Park Chung-hee.

The film follows detectives and journalists tracing the origins of the attack and raises questions suggesting there may have been a shooter other than Mun. Some characters also raise the possible involvement of powerful state agencies, including the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), as one hypothesis.

The People Power Party and several conservative groups have criticized the film for distorting history.

The production team behind "The Assassin" issued a statement saying that "as a work based on a historical event and real individuals, various interpretations and criticisms are possible, and we respect such views," while also stressing that the film "was not made with any specific political intent beyond the work's own creative purpose and character."

The team said the film "was not made to newly establish a specific historical conclusion or to deny or distort existing facts," adding that "nowhere in the film is any specific individual identified as the mastermind behind the incident, nor are the hypotheses and dramatic elements in the film presented as historical fact."

They also asked audiences to "view the work purely as a product of creative expression."

The film stars Yoo Hae-jin as a detective, Park Hae-il as a newspaper city desk editor and Lee Min-ho as a rookie reporter. Director Heo Jin-ho, known for "Christmas in August" (1998), helmed the project. It was produced by Hive Media Corp, the company behind "The Man Standing Next" (2020) and "Seoul Spring" (2023).