Actresses Lee Young-ae and Kim Go-eun criticized over reviews of film — Korea Herald

In South Korea, actresses Lee Young-ae and Kim Go-eun faced a wave of negative comments on social media after posting favorable reviews of the political thriller “The Assassin(s).” As Korea Herald reports, critics accused the actresses of being insensitive to historical issues and expressed disappointment over their support for the film.

Reviews after the VIP screening

The controversy began after a VIP screening on September 21, where both actresses left handwritten reviews. Lee Young-ae called the film gripping and deeply moving, and also praised director Hur Jin-ho. Kim Go-eun wrote that after watching it, she felt grateful for the present.

Hur Jin-ho’s film was released nationwide in South Korea on September 23 after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival. The plot focuses on events following the August 15, 1974 assassination attempt that killed Yuk Young-soo, the wife of then-president Park Chung-hee. A detective played by Yoo Hae-jin and journalists portrayed by Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho conduct an independent investigation into possible government involvement.

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Politicians’ reaction and police complaint

Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the conservative People Power Party, accused the film’s creators of distorting historical facts. The production team said the film is a work of fiction inspired by historical records, not an attempt to rewrite history or present dramatic assumptions as facts. It also stressed that the film does not directly name the person who allegedly directed the assassination attempt.

Former Seoul city council member Lee Jong-bae filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against the director and the production team. He claims that the film spreads false information and unfairly implies Park Chung-hee’s involvement in his wife’s death.