"After 'Cannot Be Dismissed as a Conspiracy Theory' Remark: Lee Dongjin Says 'No Retraction or Apology'"

Clarification of "Not Just a Conspiracy Theory" Remark
Historical Distortion Debate Spreads into Political Arena
Review Video Ultimately Set to Private

Film critic Dongjin Lee has stated that he has no intention of retracting or apologizing for his review of the film "The Assassin(s)" amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the movie. On September 30, Lee posted on his blog that he had been contacted by the producers of "B tv Dongjin Lee's Piaakia," informing him that they would be setting his review video of "The Assassin(s)," uploaded on September 25, to private due to the continuing controversy surrounding the film. The video was subsequently made private.

Movie review YouTube video of "Assassin(s)" by Dongjin Lee. Currently, this video is set to private. YouTube channel "B tv Dongjin Lee's Piaakia."

Dongjin Lee explained that the latest controversy arose after a portion of his review — specifically, his remark that "this cannot simply be dismissed as a conspiracy theory" — began circulating separately online. Regarding this remark, he clarified that he made it while discussing how the film addresses aspects of the August 15, 1974, assassination attempt on First Lady Yuk Young-soo at the National Theater in Seoul that remain unclear based solely on official reports, such as the whereabouts of the bullets fired. He went on to stress, "I did not imply that all the hypotheses raised in the film are true," and further clarified, "Moreover, I made no comments suggesting that President Park Chung-hee was behind the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo."

Lee gave the film a rating of three out of five stars, describing it as "a perspective that probes deeply into the flow and gaps of the incident." However, once it became known online that, in the video, he questioned the discrepancy between the number of gunshots depicted in the film and the number of bullets officially reported, suggesting it could not simply be dismissed as a conspiracy theory, criticism mounted. Some critics argued that the film hints at the possibility that former President Park Chung-hee or then-powerful government agencies may have been involved in the incident, yet Lee had not sufficiently addressed these issues in his review.

In response, Lee acknowledged that different viewers might interpret particular scenes and settings differently, but emphasized that he did not interpret the film as presenting the theory that "former President Park Chung-hee was behind Yuk Young-soo's assassination." He stated, "In my judgment, it is difficult for viewers to reach the interpretation that 'President Park Chung-hee was the mastermind behind First Lady Yuk Young-soo's assassination' simply by watching the film," and rebutted the criticism by saying that attacks based on claims he did not actually make — such as wondering how he could propagate such a conspiracy theory when surviving family members remain — were founded on arguments he never presented.

Amidst this, Lee also addressed criticism that his evaluation of "The Assassin(s)" contradicted his past critique of the documentary "The Road to Guantanamo," in which he pointed out the dangers of blending factual events and reenactments. He explained that, at the time, his criticism was directed towards the risks that arise when political documentaries blur the lines between actual events and reenacted scenes, and that it is not appropriate to apply the same standards to "The Assassin(s)," which is a fictional film premised on actors' performances from the start. Nevertheless, he noted that it is entirely appropriate to discuss and critique where the boundaries between fact and fiction should be drawn in a fictional film based on historical events.

Finally, Lee requested that, "When it comes to the debate over this film, I hope it can take place after watching the entire movie whenever possible," and asked that his review also be considered in its full context, rather than based on select remarks. He reiterated his position, stating, "I do not intend to retract or apologize for my evaluation," maintaining his previous stance.

As controversy surrounding the film "The Assassin(s)", which deals with the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, intensifies, some members of the People Power Party joined on the 28th, stating it is a "distortion of history that cannot be justified by freedom of expression." Yonhap News

The current debate originated from the broader controversy over alleged historical distortion surrounding director Heo Jinho's film "The Assassin(s)" itself. Released on September 23, "The Assassin(s)" tells the story of a detective and a journalist investigating the possible masterminds behind the 1974 assassination attempt on First Lady Yuk Young-soo. While the film does not directly identify any individual as being behind the incident, controversy arose after some characters in the film suggested the possibility that either the Park Chung-hee administration or the Korean Central Intelligence Agency may have orchestrated the event.

As the dispute over the film intensified, the producers issued an official statement on September 28, clarifying that "The Assassin(s)" is a fictional work inspired by the historical events of 1974 and reconstructed with cinematic imagination based on various historical records from the time. They stressed that the film was not produced to establish new historical conclusions or to deny or distort established facts. The production team also emphasized that the film does not serve any particular political agenda.

Director Heo Jinho also stated in a pre-release interview that "the film was not approached as one that uncovers hidden truths or backstories," emphasizing that the focus was on expressing the emotions of people living in the era during the process of pursuing the truth. Yonhap News

Director Heo Jinho also stated in a pre-release interview that "the film was not approached as one that uncovers hidden truths or backstories," and noted that the focus was on representing the emotions of people who lived through that era in the process of pursuing the truth.

Currently, the controversy over the film has expanded into the political arena. The People Power Party argued that the film risks distorting historical facts and has called for a suspension of its screening, even demanding that director Heo Jinho be summoned as a witness or reference at a parliamentary audit. In contrast, others argue that the political sphere should not excessively restrict the realms of expression and interpretation in creative works, broadening the dispute into one between "historical distortion" and "freedom of expression."

As criticism of the film has grown, the backlash has spread beyond critics and YouTubers who review films to also affect the actors. Several film review videos have been deleted or set to private one after another, and even comments on advertising videos featuring lead actor Yoo Hae-jin have been disabled, reflecting the ongoing repercussions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.