'The Assassin' reclaims No. 1 at box office amid historical distortion controversy

Director Hur Jin-ho's "The Assassin" reclaimed the top spot at the domestic box office over the Gaecheonjeol holiday weekend, drawing more than 590,000 viewers. Public interest in the film has surged again amid a historical distortion controversy that has spread mainly through conservative political circles.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, "The Assassin" led the domestic box office from Friday to Monday, attracting about 590,000 viewers. The film, which opened Sept. 23, has now accumulated about 2.41 million admissions.

Based on the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo, the film has sparked political and social controversy since its release, with conservative commentators accusing it of distorting historical facts. Calls emerged to boycott products made by companies that employ lead actor Yoo Hae-jin as an endorser, with some demanding he be dropped from those campaigns. On Sunday, members of a conservative civic group held a rally outside Yoo's home.

Yoo's agency warned Monday of a firm response, saying it "takes very seriously any act that invades the actor's personal privacy, threatens his safety, or damages his reputation."

Both the government and the film industry expressed concern over criticism directed at cast members rather than the film itself.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young posted on SNS Monday calling for strict law enforcement against illegal activities outside the actor's residence. "Evaluating a film is a matter of freedom, but threatening the safety of a creator is an act of destroying democracy," he said.

The Korean Film Industry Solidarity also issued a statement the same day, stressing that "criticism of a work and pressure on an individual must be clearly distinguished."

Despite the controversy, public interest in the film has continued to grow, consistently drawing audiences. "The Assassin" opened at No. 1 in its first week but was briefly pushed to second place by "Tajja: The Song of Beelzebub" before reclaiming the top spot with about 590,000 viewers over the holiday weekend.

"Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island," a Japanese animated film, came in second over the same period with about 536,000 viewers.

"Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island" is the first theatrical animated feature based on Nagano's manga series, which is widely known in South Korea under the nickname "Meonjakkwi" — meaning "something small and cute." The film opened Wednesday and has accumulated about 736,000 admissions.

Director Choi Dong-hoon's "Tajja: The Song of Beelzebub" ranked third with about 395,000 viewers, while Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey," now in its second month of release, placed fourth with about 169,000. "Odyssey" surpassed 12 million cumulative admissions as of Monday, ranking 19th all time among films released in South Korea and fifth among foreign titles.