The movie Assassins: History Distortion Controversy? Movie Review, Plot

Is the movie *The Assassin(ies)* really a distortion of history? I've completely unraveled the story from the perspective of a 20-something audience member, covering the 1974 assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, the plot, the ending, and even the heated controversy over historical distortion these days!

 

 

1. What is the basic plot of the movie *Assassination(s)*?

This movie is a mystery thriller based on the shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo at the Liberation Day ceremony on August 15, 1974.

According to the government's official announcement at the time, 'Mun Se-gwang,' acting on orders from North Korea and Chongryon, attempted to assassinate former President Park Chung-hee but failed, It is known that First Lady Yuk Young-soo, who was standing next to her, was shot and killed, right? But the movie starts with the question, "Did the bullets fired that day really come only from Moon Se-gwang's gun?"

The story unfolds from the perspectives of a total of three characters.

 

Cheol-gu (Yoo Hae-jin): A police officer with a strong sense of public duty and loyalty to the nation. While investigating a security failure at the scene, he notices suspicious details regarding the 'missing bullet' and the number of gunshots, and begins to uncover the truth.

Jae-hwan (Park Hae-il): A veteran reporter who suspects power intervention behind the case with his extraordinary insight.

Young-il (Lee Min-ho): A rookie reporter who witnesses the crime scene with his own eyes and intends to report the truth.

 

These three people in their respective positions "Is the real culprit someone else?", "Is the regime covering something up?" The thriller plot, which tracks down the mastermind behind the incident after detecting such circumstances, drives the early and middle parts!

2. My Honest Review of the Movie *Assassination(ies)* (Paid With My Own Money)

To start with the conclusion, it was, "The immersion in the early and middle parts was insane, but honestly, the latter part is bound to be polarizing!"

 

👍 What I liked:
The direction of the opening sequence regarding the sniper incident at the National Theater was truly breathtakingly tense! The urgent direction of the shootout triggered by Moon Se-gwang's appearance, as well as the scenes where the incident is deduced based on the number of missing bullets, were incredibly entertaining as a thriller. In particular, the action sequence where actor Yoo Hae-jin chases a mysterious figure at the Typewriter Academy had insane visual and auditory tension. Yoo Hae-jin's performance as an ordinary citizen loyal to the country who gets betrayed was also amazing—so good it almost brought tears to my eyes!

 

👎 Areas for improvement:
However, as the movie progresses toward the latter half, the weight shifts too heavily toward the story of "true journalists standing up against press suppression" rather than delving into the genre thrills of uncovering the mastermind behind the incident or conspiracy theories. Sequences like the Dongseong Daily's declaration of commitment to free press are directed in an extremely emotional and melodramatic way, making them feel a bit detached. For those who went expecting a conspiracy thriller, the momentum drops in the latter half, which might feel frustrating.

3. Why on Earth? A Comprehensive Summary of the History Distortion Controversy in the Movie *Assassination(s)*

There is only one core reason why the political world and online communities are in an uproar right now. It is because of the criticism that "the movie is making people believe conspiracy theories as facts."

 

Controversy over implying 'Park Chung-hee staged drama' theory

Although the movie takes the form of an open ending, it leaves room for conspiracy theories suggesting that former President Park Chung-hee's faction or the Central Intelligence Agency orchestrated the incident to overcome a regime crisis. The political sphere (the ruling party) is strongly protesting, calling it "immoral propaganda that goes beyond cinematic imagination and insults the bereaved families and history."

 

The Blurred Boundary Between Fact and Fiction:

Critics pointed out that the film forcibly links actual historical events (such as the Declaration of Free Press) with the assassination conspiracy theory, excessively and emotionally instilling in the audience the dichotomy of "regime = evil, journalist = good." The criticism is that rather than persuading the audience with the details and plausibility of the conspiracy theory, it taps into their emotions to make them believe the theory as if it were true.

 

The repercussions of remarks by film industry figures:

It is a situation where prominent figures such as Director Park Chan-wook and critic Lee Dong-jin have ignited ideological conflicts and controversy surrounding the film by making remarks like, "It has great implications even for the present era," and "Where did the difference in the number of gunshots come from?"

4. Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1. Is there a post-credits scene in the movie *Assassination(s)*?

A1. Rather than a post-credits scene, actual footage of the 1974 assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo is inserted as a post-credits moment right after the movie ends! It seems like a directorial choice intended to leave a lingering impression until the very end.

 

Q2. In the actual incident, are the claims of a 'Park Chung-hee self-staged incident' or a 'bodyguard's accidental shooting' true?

A2. According to the government's official announcement, this is not true. Both the announcement by the Special Investigation Headquarters and the judicial ruling at the time concluded that it was the sole act of Mun Se-gwang (under orders from North Korea and Chongryon), and Mun Se-gwang was executed. The theories regarding a bodyguard's accidental shooting or a conspiracy are merely suspicions raised through the release of diplomatic documents and investigative reporting programs in the 2000s; they are not officially proven historical facts!

 

Q3. Would you recommend it as a thriller?

A3. Putting aside political controversies or historical accuracy, if you look solely at the actors' performances and the tension-filled direction in the early and middle parts, it is definitely worth watching—better than an average film! However, if you dislike the melodramatic direction or frustrating plot development in the latter half, it might be a hit or miss.

 

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