Actor Lee Min-ho. [Yonhap]
Actor Lee Min-ho. [Yonhap]

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the film "The Assassin," comments have been temporarily disabled on a YouTube video featuring actor Lee Min-ho.

On Sept. 14, the YouTube channel "Jjanhan Hyung Shin Dong-yeop," a celebrity talk show, uploaded a video titled "Lee Min-ho, Ryu Hye-young, Kim Dae-myung — the tofu-faced look is trending."

As of Tuesday, the video displays a notice reading "Comments are temporarily disabled," preventing viewers from leaving new comments.

In the video, Lee also explained why he decided to appear in "The Assassin." "I'm someone who believes in the power of truth and sincerity, and I think that has to be the foundation of everything," he said. "This work is about people who refused to bow to the times and tried to see a suspicious incident through to the end, according to their own convictions."

He also spoke about the character Han Yeong-il, whom he portrays. "He already has a stable, secure life, but he's someone who can't feel truly alive within it," Lee said. "It's only when he's working as a journalist that he feels alive, and I felt I had to take this role because it captures that version of Yeong-il — someone who feels he has to see it through to the end."

Host Shin Dong-yeop then asked, "Is there really a journalist that good-looking?" Lee said, "I think it won't feel too out of place since he starts out as a new reporter who got in through connections."

Among the existing comments on the video, many criticized the cast and the film in connection with the historical distortion controversy surrounding "The Assassin."

A poster for "The Assassin" displayed at a movie theater in Seoul. [Yonhap]
A poster for "The Assassin" displayed at a movie theater in Seoul. [Yonhap]

"The Assassin" is based on the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting of Yuk Young-soo, the wife of then-President Park Chung-hee. Since its opening, the film has drawn criticism for allegedly depicting a particular theory about the incident as near-fact, sparking a broader debate. Opinions on the film's historical interpretation have been divided among viewers and in political circles.

In response, the production team drew a line on how the film should be interpreted, saying it was not made to establish a new historical conclusion or to deny or distort established facts.

The backlash has also extended to the cast. The pushback against lead actor Yoo Hae-jin has intensified in particular, with calls to boycott brands he endorses and protests staged outside his home.

On Monday, Yoo's agency said it was taking "an extremely serious view of all acts of malicious personal attacks and insults, as well as any conduct that invades the actor's privacy, threatens his safety, or damages his reputation," adding that it would "take all possible measures."


choigo@heraldcorp.com