Writer of 'Hope' defends 'The Assassin' amid historical distortion controversy

So Jae-won, the author behind the original story of the film "Hope," has spoken out in defense of "The Assassin," which has been embroiled in controversy over alleged historical distortion.

On Monday, So posted on Instagram saying he could find "absolutely no point" at which the film insulted President Park Chung-hee or first lady Yuk Young-soo. "Is this level of creative work based on history not even permitted?" he wrote. "Exactly where in the film's narrative or scenes does the rumor about President Park Chung-hee — one so difficult even to mention — actually appear?"

So explained why he felt compelled to weigh in despite having no connection to the film. "As a creator, I simply want to defend a good work from being dismissed because of speculative rumors," he wrote.

He praised the film itself, saying the performances and direction were "so perfect that not a single flaw could be found," and that the film proved director Heo Jin-ho had earned the right to be called a master filmmaker.

However, So said he was left with a deep sense of regret about something outside the work itself. "It is consideration for those who survived," he wrote.

So noted that when writing "Hope," which dealt with a child sex crime, he shared the manuscript with the victim's family beforehand, and that a separate work on the history of Japan's colonial rule was first delivered to the House of Sharing, a shelter for survivors of wartime sexual slavery.

So asked whether the controversy could have arisen at all had the director and production company "prioritized courtesy toward those who survived." He urged that the families who lived through the tragedy must be shown "a deep understanding of history, comfort, and the purity of the work. That is our courtesy toward those who survived," he wrote.

The controversy surrounding "The Assassin" has persisted more than two weeks after its opening. Production company Hive MEDIAcorp announced Friday that all stage greetings scheduled for Saturday through Monday had been canceled, citing the controversy as placing "an excessive burden on the cast and crew beyond the work itself." Earlier, on Thursday, a public preview organized by the Busan Film Commission and a Busan International Film Festival event titled "Actor's House: Lee Min-ho" were both called off.

A coalition of 19 film industry organizations — spanning production, direction, distribution and exhibition — issued a joint statement Monday saying the debate surrounding the film had gone "beyond the content and interpretation of the work, affecting the daily lives and safety of individuals who participated in or expressed opinions about it." The statement added that "criticism of a work and pressure on individuals must be clearly distinguished." It was the fifth such statement from industry groups since the Korean Film Producers Association spoke out Thursday.

The film continues to perform well at the box office. According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, "The Assassin" drew 412,012 admissions over the weekend of Friday through Sunday, topping the weekend box office for a second consecutive week. As of Monday, cumulative admissions stood at 2.41 million.

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