A conservative group holds a rally outside the home of Yoo Hae-jin, lead actor in "The Assassin(s)," in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on Sunday. [Yonhap]
A conservative group holds a rally outside the home of Yoo Hae-jin, lead actor in "The Assassin(s)," in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on Sunday. [Yonhap]

The controversy surrounding the film "The Assassin(s)" has prompted responses from the lead actor's agency and a multiplex cinema chain.

The agency representing the film's lead actor warned of a firm response to protesters who gathered outside his home, while multiplex operator Megabox issued an apology over the design of a special ticket.

VAST Entertainment, the agency of actor Yoo Hae-jin, said Monday on social media that it "takes very seriously any act that violates the actor's personal privacy, threatens his safety, or damages his reputation," adding that it "will take all possible measures to protect the rights and safety of its actor from illegal conduct."

The statement was a direct response to a series of actions targeting Yoo, including calls to boycott products of companies he has endorsed and demands that those companies drop him as a spokesperson, as well as protests outside his home. VAST Entertainment said it "will continue to monitor any conduct that infringes on the rights and safety of its actor and will take necessary action on any confirmed cases."

Earlier, Megabox issued an official statement and apologized over a special ticket for "The Assassin(s)" that drew criticism for featuring bullet-hole imagery.

The ticket consisted of a transparent overlay printed with bullet holes placed over a base design reminiscent of the memorial hall at the National Theater of Korea at the time of the incident — a combination critics said trivialized a national tragedy for entertainment purposes.

Megabox said it "failed to fully appreciate the gravity and weight of a historical tragedy and horrific event," and offered "a sincere apology to those who felt uncomfortable and to those who suffered pain at the time of the incident." The company explained that "due to a tight production schedule, staff members had not seen the film in advance and produced the merchandise using only a limited set of images provided through consultations with the distributor and production company."

Megabox said it decided not to distribute any remaining tickets unsold on opening day and would destroy all of them immediately. The company also pledged to establish an internal review process to assess the social and ethical implications of any future merchandise based on historical events or real individuals.

The original special ticket for "The Assassin(s)" issued by Megabox. [Megabox Instagram]
The original special ticket for "The Assassin(s)" issued by Megabox. [Megabox Instagram]

choijh@heraldcorp.com