Controversy over 'The Assassins'... Choi Bul-am's "Just Two Packs of Cigarettes" Anecdote About the Late First Lady Yook Young-soo Revisited [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Amidst ongoing controversy over historical distortion surrounding the film 'The Assassins,' an anecdote in which actor Choi Bul-am once had a phone conversation with the late First Lady Yook Young-soo is drawing renewed attention.

Choi appeared on MBC's 'Return of the Legend: Detective Squad – The Chief’s Gathering,' broadcast in 2024, and revealed behind-the-scenes details about receiving a direct call from Cheong Wa Dae during the airing of the drama 'Detective Squad.'

At the time, Choi said, "It was a Sunday in 1974. My wife told me, 'There is a call from the Cheong Wa Dae annex.'" He continued, "As I waited, I heard laughter, and then she said, 'This is Yook Young-soo.'"

He added, "She asked, 'How many packs of cigarettes do you smoke?' I answered, 'I smoke four packs,' and she told me to 'Just stick to two packs.'"

Choi recounted that First Lady Yook Young-soo said, "The President next to you is imitating Detective Squad by smoking four packs a day." He noted, "I also heard the President say from the side, 'Stop talking nonsense.' That incident has never been forgotten."

He further stated, "Cigarettes were also part of the performance," adding, "I expressed emotions depending on how I smoked and exhaled the smoke."

'The Assassins' is a film that traces the suspicions and masterminds behind an incident, using the 1974 shooting of First Lady Yook Young-soo as its motif. Since its release on the 23rd of last month, controversy has continued as political circles and related organizations have raised criticism of historical distortion over certain settings in the film.

Subsequently, 'The Assassins' was scheduled to hold stage greetings in Seoul, Suwon, Incheon, Busan, and other locations to mark its second week of release, but the production company decided to cancel the schedule, concerned that the controversy surrounding the work was spreading to the cast and crew.

HYBE Media Cop stated, "We respect the various opinions and interest shown in the work, while also expressing concern that the situation surrounding the film is placing excessive burdens on the cast and crew beyond the scope of the work itself." The company explained, "This decision was made after careful consideration to protect those involved in the production and to take into account the impact it would have on audiences visiting theaters and theater staff."

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*This content was translated by AI.