SGIFF to proceed with controversial South Korean thriller The Assassin(s) as opening film

SINGAPORE – The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) will press ahead with Hur Jin-ho’s historical thriller The Assassin(s) as its opening film, despite criticism from conservative groups in South Korea over alleged historical distortions.

In a media reply on Oct 7, SGIFF confirmed its selection and stated it was aware of ongoing discussions about the film.

“SGIFF respects the creative vision of the film-makers behind The Assassin(s), which remains the festival opening film of our 37th edition.”

The festival explained that The Assassin(s) was selected through an independent curatorial process based on its artistic merit and contribution to contemporary Asian cinema.

The film has faced criticism over its dramatisation of the 1974 assassination attempt on former president Park Chung-hee that killed his wife Yuk Young-soo.

Though official inquiries concluded that gunman Mun Se-gwang acted on North Korean orders in the incident, the film depicts fictional investigators probing potential links to figures within Park’s own government and intelligence services.

Seoul news outlet Asia Business Daily reported that South Korea’s People Power Party sent a letter to SGIFF executive director Jeremy Chua on Oct 6, urging the immediate withdrawal of the opening film selection.

In standing by its selection, SGIFF highlighted that Hur crafted the thriller as a dramatic retelling rather than a factual account.

“The film-makers have described the film as a work of cinematic imagination that combines historical events with fictional characters and situations. They have stated that it was not made to establish historical conclusions, distort facts or serve any political purpose,” SGIFF said.

“SGIFF presents the film in that context, as a creative work.”

The festival emphasised that its role is to provide a platform for diverse storytelling from Singapore, the rest of Asia and beyond.

“We look forward to welcoming audiences to the 37th SGIFF and offering a rich breadth of cinema and experiences for them to discover and enjoy,” it said.

The Assassin(s) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September to a full house and a standing ovation, and was named runner-up for the International People’s Choice Award at the festival.

The film was later invited to the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, the Paris Korean Film Festival – where it was also selected as the opening film – and the Hawaii International Film Festival, reported local media.

While the movie has received positive reviews on the international circuit, it continues to spark anger among conservative groups in South Korea, who say it insults Yuk’s surviving family, which includes eldest daughter and former president Park Geun-hye.

Critics have taken to social media platforms such as Threads to post guides on how to petition SGIFF, the Singapore embassy and the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Seoul office to pull the film, according to The Chosun Daily.

The Assassin(s) has drawn about 2.5 million viewers in South Korea since its nationwide release on Sept 23, according to data from the Korean Film Council.

SGIFF runs from Oct 21 to Nov 1. It was earlier reported that Hur and supporting cast members Park Sung-hoon and Shim Eun-kyung would attend the festival’s opening.

The Straits Times has contacted the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Seoul and STB for comment.