'The Assassins': Relentless… A Realism Perfected Through Meticulous Historical Research

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The film "The Assassins" (directed by Heo Jin-ho), which has surpassed 3 million admissions, released production stills showcasing the art team's vivid recreation of the era in the 1970s through thorough historical research.

"The Assassins" is a film that traces the suspicions and masterminds behind the assassination attempt on the First Lady that shocked South Korea on August 15, 1974. As such, the production made efforts to complete a realistic setup that vividly recreates the atmosphere of the time.

Art Director Kim Byung-han stated, "Because it is based on true events, we had to approach it differently than when working on a typical period piece. While many period dramas often utilize retro tones and color palettes, we strived to express things without exaggeration in order to find a tone that suited the era." He shared the process of capturing the atmosphere of 1974 based on meticulous historical research.

In particular, Dongseong Ilbo, the primary setting for "Jae-hwan" (Park Hae-il) and "Young-il" (Lee Min-ho), was completed to resemble a newspaper office of that era by connecting different buildings located in Busan and Jeonju as if they were a single space. The team paid close attention from the selection of filming locations to ensure that the distinct places blended seamlessly without any sense of dissonance. Based on actual 1970s newspaper office blueprints and consultations with former journalists, they meticulously recreated everything from the spatial structure and departmental layout to individual props, adding a sense of historical authenticity.

In scenes where the editorial staff and reporters occupy the same space, the tension of the drama was heightened through spatial arrangements that carefully considered the relationships and emotions between characters. Art Director Kim Byung-han revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the meticulous spatial design, stating, "We had extensive discussions in advance with Director Heo Jin-ho about how to create and shoot the layers between the editorial staff and reporters, as well as the direction of their gazes. We calculated and arranged everything, including the placement of desks and seating positions."

While capturing the atmosphere of a newspaper office at the time, warm wood tones and warm gray color palettes were utilized to express the warmth among the reporters, adding natural warmth to the space. This delicate art work, which considered everything from thorough historical research to the characters' emotions, was able to vividly convey the on-site feel of 1974, further enhancing the film's immersion.

Meanwhile, "The Assassins" is currently showing to great acclaim.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original