Director Hur Jin-ho has denied claims that his film "Assassins" is a remake of a North Korean propaganda movie, as controversy around the release spills into audience ratings and social media.
The film is based on the 1974 assassination attempt on then-president Park Chung-hee in which first lady Yuk Young-soo was killed. Hur said he first learned of the alleged North Korean film only after hearing the claim and rejected the suggestion that his production had purchased remake rights.
The dispute has spread beyond the film
The dispute has already moved beyond debate about the film itself. Cast members and actors who recommended the movie have been targeted by hostile comments online, while the movie has faced coordinated low ratings amid accusations of historical distortion.
The box office has also become part of the story. After leading for several days following its September 23 release, "Assassins" slipped to second place on September 28. The controversy now centers on competing claims about the film's historical framing, while the director's denial addresses one specific allegation about its origin.