"See for Yourself and Judge" Controversy Boosts Audience for "The Assassins," Real-Viewer Ratings Also Rise [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The film "The Assassins" (directed by Heo Jin-ho) is on an upward trend despite the controversy.

According to the Korea Film Council's integrated system, "The Assassins" topped the Korean film box office on the 11th and surpassed 3 million cumulative admissions on the 20th day of its release, the 12th.

In addition, it attracted 758,587 viewers over the week from the 5th to the 11th, during its third week of release, securing the top spot in the overall weekly box office for three consecutive weeks.

In particular, "The Assassins" became the fifth Korean film released this year to reach the milestone of 3 million admissions.

Although various controversies arose in the early days of its release, interest in the film actually grew. As fierce criticism and political polarization continued outside the work, more audiences began visiting theaters, stating they would "see for themselves and judge" rather than being swayed by rumors.

As the number of viewers increased, the atmosphere also changed. Instead of the noisy external debates, attention began to focus on the actors' passionate performances and the film's overall quality.

Entering its third week of release, the Naver real-viewer rating jumped from 8.0 to 8.8, and the CGV Golden Egg Index also rose accordingly.

"The Assassins," released on the 23rd of last month, is a film that investigates the suspicions and masterminds behind the shooting incident involving First Lady Yook Young-soo, which occurred on August 15, 1974. It stars actors Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho, among others.

However, following the film's release, a controversy over historical distortion erupted regarding the settings within the movie. In response, some conservative civic groups filed complaints against the production team for defamation, raising issues with the film's historical interpretation.

Some conservative and far-right civic groups also held rallies in front of the home of Yoo Hae-jin, who starred in the film, demanding an apology regarding the screening of the movie. It was reported that related protests were also conducted near HYBE Media Corp., the production company.

Due to the aftermath of the controversy, the "The Assassins" team canceled events including stage greetings and recent official schedules for the 31st Busan International Film Festival.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original