Actor Yoo Hae-jin speaks at a press preview for the film "The Assassin" held at Megabox COEX in Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 8. [Yonhap]
Actor Yoo Hae-jin speaks at a press preview for the film "The Assassin" held at Megabox COEX in Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 8. [Yonhap]

A rally has been announced outside the home of actor Yoo Hae-jin amid a continuing controversy over alleged historical distortion in the film "The Assassin."

On Thursday, Kim Sang-jin, head of the conservative group New Liberal Alliance, posted on his social media account that he had completed the official notification process for a rally in front of Yoo's residence.

"If I hold the rally, I expect his agency will move Yoo Hae-jin to a different location," Kim added. "I will later prove that 'Yoo Hae-jin ran away from home.' Fight on!"

Kim also published the outdoor rally notification form. The rally is titled "Denounce Yoo Hae-jin, Denounce the Producers of 'The Assassin.'" It is scheduled to run from Saturday through Oct. 30 — roughly one month — with 20 participants listed and equipment including two broadcast vehicles, a foldable portable stage and sound gear. Kim also posted a photo that exposed the street address of a building believed to be Yoo's home.

The post spread rapidly across social media and online communities, drawing sharply divided reactions.

Some users expressed strong displeasure at Kim's actions, leaving comments such as "What did the neighbors do wrong?", "What did the actor do?", "Let's be reasonable" and "He's really crossing a line."

Others voiced support for Kim, with comments including "How can a remake of a North Korean film be acceptable?", "He must be made to apologize" and "Yoo Hae-jin, apologize now."

"The Assassin," directed by Heo Jin-ho and starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho, is a mystery film that traces the alleged conspiracies and forces behind the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting of first lady Yuk Young-soo. The film has drawn criticism from some quarters for presenting hypotheses about who was behind the attack, with critics calling it a distortion of history, and debate over the line between the film's fiction and historical fact continues.


min3654@heraldcorp.com