A ticketing kiosk at a movie theater in Seoul displays "The Assassin(s)." [Newsis]
A ticketing kiosk at a movie theater in Seoul displays "The Assassin(s)." [Newsis]

Reform Party emergency committee Chairman Lee Ki-in on Friday criticized the design of a promotional "original ticket" for the film "The Assassin(s)," which depicts the assassination of the late first lady Yuk Young-soo, saying it contains inappropriate visual effects.

According to Yonhap, Lee posted a photo of the movie ticket on Facebook that day, identifying it as the original ticket for "The Assassin(s)" released by Megabox.

"When you overlay the transparent sheet printed with bullet marks onto the thick ticket, the bullet holes are superimposed over what appears to be a figure of the late first lady Yuk Young-soo, along with a Taegukgi and a podium," he said. "The design seems to invite the audience to complete the shooting scene with their own hands."

He went on to say, "Did the shooting that took a life really need to be turned into a collectible where you layer a transparent sheet over it? Did anyone stop for even a moment to think about how the bereaved family would feel holding this? How can a tragedy that someone will carry for the rest of their life become a clever promotional idea for someone else?"

"Freedom of expression is not a bulletproof shield against criticism," he added. "If you want to claim the freedom to put out a design like this, then be prepared to face voices criticizing its cruelty and vulgarity. Is someone's death your idea of 'collectible value'?"


husn7@heraldcorp.com