Choi Bulam Recalls Getting a Call From Yuk Youngsoo: "This Is Yuk Youngsoo, Please Cut Down on Smoking" ... Anecdote Resurfaces Amid "Assassin(s)" Controversy

Anecdote Resurfaces Amid "Assassin(s)" Historical Distortion Controversy

"The President Follows Your Lead...Please Reduce the Smoking Scenes"

As debates over historical distortion continue to surround the film "The Assassin(s)," which centers on the assassination attempt on First Lady Yuk Young-soo, the story of actor Choi Bulam personally receiving a phone call from Mrs. Yuk has once again drawn attention.

The late Youngsoo Yuk (left) and actor Choi Bulam. Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Hall · Drama "Chief Inspector"

Recently, posts recounting the episode of Choi Bulam's call with Mrs. Yuk have gone viral on social networking services (SNS). This story was shared directly by Choi Bulam during the MBC program "The Return of the Legendary Chief Inspector—The Chief Inspector Gathering," which aired on April 7, 2024.

Choi Bulam recalled, "It was a Sunday in 1974. My wife answered the phone and said, 'Honey, there’s a call from the Blue House secretary’s office.' I picked up and waited awkwardly when I heard laughter, and then someone said, 'This is Youngsoo Yuk.' I immediately stood up," remembering how surprised he was by the unexpected phone call.

Yuk Young-soo to Choi Bulam: "Please smoke only two cigarettes... The President follows your lead"

According to Choi Bulam, the reason Mrs. Yuk called him was because of the scenes where he smoked in the drama "Chief Inspector." Mrs. Yuk reportedly asked, "'How many cigarettes do you smoke?'" When Choi Bulam answered, "'I smoke four per episode,'" Mrs. Yuk replied, "'Oh dear, could you cut it down to two?'" Choi Bulam said, "When I asked, 'Pardon?' she explained, 'The President, who’s sitting beside me, smokes along with 'Chief Inspector' each time you do.' I told her, 'Yes, I understand,' and hung up the phone."

He also recalled hearing President Park Chung-hee’s voice during the call. Choi Bulam said he could hear the former president telling Mrs. Yuk from the other end, "Why are you saying such pointless things?" He added, "This event is still unforgettable for me."

At the time, scenes featuring Choi Bulam smoking were frequently shown in "Chief Inspector." He explained, "In the 1970s, even cigarettes were a part of acting," and that smoking or exhaling was often used to express characters’ emotions.

The Episode Revisited Amid "The Assassin(s)" Controversy

This story—which took place nearly 50 years ago between Choi Bulam and Mrs. Yuk—has resurfaced as controversy over the film "The Assassin(s)" has grown. Released on September 23, "The Assassin(s)" depicts the 1974 assassination attempt on President Park Chung-hee and the fatal shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo.

Controversy over historical distortion erupted because, in one scene, certain characters suggest the possibility that higher-ups at the Korean Central Intelligence Agency could have been behind the incident, citing diplomatic ties with Japan at the time. On October 4, members of a conservative-leaning group held a rally in front of actor Yoo Hae-jin’s home—who starred in the movie—demanding that the film be pulled from theaters and calling for apologies from the production team and actors.

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