'The Assassin': Film tackles the 1974 first lady shooting that shook South Korea

"The one trying to hide something is the culprit. And everyone is hiding something."

Aug. 15, 1974 — the 29th Liberation Day ceremony. A live broadcast watched by the entire nation descends into chaos as gunshots suddenly ring out. Six shots fired, and the first lady collapses. The unprecedented incident that shocked South Korea is swiftly closed when a suspect is arrested at the scene.

But only four bullets are ever recovered. The whereabouts of the remaining two are recorded nowhere. With the case hastily sealed, someone begins looking back at that day. What is the truth that everyone witnessed but no one truly knew? "The Assassin" follows characters who relentlessly pursue the hidden forces and truth behind one of the most shocking events in modern Korean history.

"The Assassin," the first film to depict the 1974 shooting of the first lady, has set sail toward a chuseok release. The new work from director Heo Jin-ho — known for films that have sensitively captured the spirit of their eras, including "Christmas in August" (1998), "One Fine Spring Day" (2001), "The Last Princess" (2016) and "Forbidden Dream" (2019) — has drawn considerable anticipation with a cast that includes Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho.

Actor Park Hae-il speaks at the production press conference for "The Assassin" held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Monday. From left: director Heo Jin-ho, Lee Min-ho, Park Hae-il and Yoo Hae-jin. [Yonhap]

The film takes the real 1974 incident as its starting point and layers cinematic imagination onto it to craft a mystery thriller. Venturing into the risk and weight of being the first to bring this shocking true story to the screen, "The Assassin" goes beyond a simple recreation of events — it captures the sense of responsibility felt by those chasing the mystery, as well as the heavy atmosphere of the 1970s itself.

Director Heo Jin-ho, speaking Monday morning at a production press conference held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, said it had been 10 years since he first conceived the project. "It was not an easy story to tell," he said. "But because this story has continued to be discussed, I tried to approach it without bias, drawing on a wide range of materials and interviews."

Opening with one of the most extraordinary events in modern Korean history, the film follows characters who each try in their own way to uncover a hidden truth — and who ultimately converge on a single question. The protagonists are Cheol-gu, a detective from the Jungbu Police Station assigned to security at the scene; Jae-hwan, a senior editor at a newspaper's city desk; and Yeong-il, a rookie reporter who witnesses the chaos of that day. Each, from their own vantage point, pursues the suspicious circumstances and the clues left behind after the official announcement. Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho play the three roles, respectively.

Actor Yoo Hae-jin speaks at the production press conference for "The Assassin" held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]

Yoo, who led South Korean box office history with "The King's Warden" — released over the Lunar New Year holiday — returns to audiences this chuseok as Cheol-gu. "My hope right now is that 'The Assassin' does just as well at the box office, but that takes all the right elements coming together," he said. "I hope as many people as possible come to see this film, given how hard everyone worked on it."

He described Cheol-gu as "a character who witnessed the actual incident firsthand, and who uses a detective's instinct to question the case and pound the pavement." Yoo said he focused his performance on "the emotions that surface as he pursues the case and edges closer to the truth."

Park's character, the veteran reporter Jae-hwan, follows his instincts to probe the allegations surrounding the incident and gradually closes in on the truth. Director Heo said he asked Park to portray "a character who pushes steadily and shrewdly toward the truth." The film also marks the first collaboration between Heo and Park since "The Last Princess" a decade ago, and Park's first screen appearance in four years.

"Jae-hwan was not at the scene, but he watches the shooting unfold on a live broadcast and then pursues the story from there," Park said. "I am grateful to the director for seeking me out after 10 years, and I am nervous to be presenting a new work after four years away."

Yeong-il, though born into a wealthy family, turns his back on that comfortable background to chase the truth. Lee, who plays the character, opened with a lighthearted remark: "Playing the youngest on any set is never easy, but this was a set where being the youngest was actually a good thing."

"I wanted Yeong-il to feel like a live fish — full of dynamic energy," Lee said. "I thought of him as someone who yearns to fill something missing deep inside, and who grows and becomes stronger through his encounter with Jae-hwan."

The 1970s itself functions as another character in the film. Cinematographer Lee Mo-gae — whose credits include "Seoul Spring" (2023) and "Exhuma" (2024) — joined production designer Kim Byeong-han and lighting director Lee Seong-hwan, among other leading figures in Korean cinema, to meticulously recreate the distinctive atmosphere and texture of that decade.

"Rather than relying on sets, we sought out real locations that still carry the sensibility of the era, to capture scenes with a sense of presence and authenticity," Park said. "The spatial feel and realism those locations gave us was a great help as an actor. The newspaper office space in particular felt almost magical."

The film's title draws attention from the outset with its unconventional use of parentheses — written in Korean as "암살자(들)," placing the plural suffix in brackets. Director Heo was coy about the reasoning, saying only that "watching the film will tell you why the parentheses are there." He added: "Putting the parentheses around the plural marker adds a layer of curiosity and tension around the film. Once you have seen it, you will know exactly how to read the title."

The director and cast of "The Assassin" pose at the film's production press conference held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Monday. From left: director Heo Jin-ho, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. [Yonhap]

At the press conference, the director and cast urged audiences to give "The Assassin" their attention, saying it is a film families can watch together and discuss over the chuseok holiday.

"This is not just a film for those who remember the events — it also introduces a major chapter of modern history to younger audiences who may not know it," Park said. "The pacing is fast, and there is real dramatic depth to the characters, so it is a film that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can enjoy."

Lee quipped that Yoo had been "looking much healthier since 'The King's Warden,'" and added: "I hope many people come and have a great time watching it, so the director's complexion can improve too."

balme@heraldcorp.com