"Turning a Fatal Shooting Into Merchandise"... Controversy Over 'Assassin(s)' Megabox Ticket

Lee Giin: "The Design Has Audiences Complete the Shooting Scene with Their Own Hands"
Joo Jinwoo: "Boycott If Not Immediately Destroyed and Apologized For"

Amid continuing controversy over the movie 'Assassin(s)', which is based on the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, the opposition has now raised criticism over the design of Megabox's original ticket for the film.

Lee Giin, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Reform New Party, posted a photo of Megabox's actual 'Assassin(s)' original ticket on Facebook on the 2nd. He pointed out, "If you layer the thick ticket with a transparent sheet marked with bullet holes, the bullet marks line up over the Taegeukgi flag, podium, and a figure resembling Mrs. Yuk." He added, "The design seems to make the audience complete the shooting scene with their own hands." He then questioned, "Is this also freedom of expression?"

Controversial movie 'Assassin(s)' Megabox Original ticket. Screenshot from Lee Giin, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Reform New Party's Facebook.

Chairman Lee strongly criticized the design: "Did the deadly shooting really need to be turned into a collectible, with a transparent sheet for people to overlap? Did you even once consider how the bereaved family might feel about this?" He further asked, "How can an unspeakable tragedy that some people will never forget become someone else’s clever marketing idea?"

He added, "Freedom of expression is not a bulletproof shield against criticism. If you insist on your freedom to produce this kind of design, then you must also endure the voices calling out its cruelty and vulgarity." He rebuked, "Is someone’s death just a collectible for you?"

Chairman Lee also pointed out the starkly different reactions within the political sphere. He said, "For the 'Tank Day' event, there was an immediate search and seizure, nationwide store history education, a directive for the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to investigate all gift certificate purchases, and public officials even led a boycott. But when it comes to ticket merchandise depicting the assassination of a former president's wife, everyone is this silent." He emphasized, "There must not be double standards when it comes to outrage," and "There can be no partisan yardstick for human dignity."

The People Power Party also continued to criticize the ticket.

Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, stated on his social networking site (SNS), "How can you use Mrs. Yuk Young-soo’s death as merchandise—this is truly insane." He continued, "Bullet holes clearly marked on the seat where Mrs. Yuk sat—this depraved merchandise cannot be tolerated. Megabox must immediately destroy all units and apologize." He warned, "If this is not addressed today, we will call Hong Jungin, CEO of Megabox, as a witness at the National Assembly audit and launch a strong boycott against Megabox."

Kim Taekyu, another member of the same party, also posted on SNS, "Even the merchandise for 'Assassin(s)' is depraved," adding, "They are deliberately depicting the completion of six shots with missing bullets."

'Assassin(s)' is inspired by the August 15, 1974 assassination attempt on First Lady Yuk Young-soo, and tells the story of a journalist and detective investigating the doubts and hidden forces surrounding the incident. Since its release, there has been controversy, especially among political circles, over the film's suggestion that former President Park Chung-hee or the Korean Central Intelligence Agency may have been involved in the assassination, prompting accusations of distorting history.

As controversy persisted, official events have been consecutively canceled. On the 2nd, the production company Hive Media Corp. announced, "Scheduled participation in the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) opening ceremony and the outdoor stage greetings on October 7 have been canceled," adding, "We ask for the understanding of all audiences who have been waiting for these events." The company explained, "In light of the recent circumstances surrounding the film, we considered the safety of the audience and participants," and "After careful review of the present situation, we have decided this is necessary to ensure everyone's safety and smooth proceedings at the events."

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