The Assassin(s) maintains top Korean box office spot for 21 days

The film 'The Assassin(s)' has held the number one spot for Korean films for 21 consecutive days, reaching a cumulative audience of 3,265,450 as of October 20. Entering its fifth week of release, the film rose to fourth place in the 2026 Korean film box office rankings on October 18.

The film 'The Assassin(s)' has recorded its 21st consecutive day as the number one Korean film at the box office. According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing network, the cumulative audience reached 3,265,450 as of 7:00 AM on October 20. Even as it enters its fifth week of release, it has gathered the most viewers among Korean films and rose to fourth place in the 2026 Korean film box office rankings on the 18th. The work tells the story of tracking the suspicions and the mastermind behind the assassination of the First Lady that occurred on August 15, 1974. Produced, provided, and distributed by Hive Media Corp, the film is currently playing in theaters nationwide.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing network, 'The Assassin(s)' recorded a cumulative audience of 3,265,450 as of 7:00 AM on October 20, marking 21 consecutive days at the top of the Korean film box office. At the time of the count on the morning of the 20th, the film had drawn 16,278 viewers on the previous day, the 19th. Entering its fifth week of release, the film continued to increase its cumulative audience by adding more daily viewers.

On the 18th, the film entered fourth place in the 2026 Korean film box office rankings, surpassing the 3.24 million viewers of 'Salmokji: Whispering Water,' which previously held the fourth spot. As of the 20th, the cumulative audience for 'The Assassin(s)' is 25,450 more than that figure. Separately from the Korean film rankings, it was reported to be sixth among all released films. The works ranked ahead of 'The Assassin(s)' in the overall release rankings were 'The King's Warden,' 'The Odyssey,' 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' 'Colony,' and 'Hope.'

Tracking Suspicions of the 1974 First Lady Assassination

'The Assassin(s)' follows the investigation into the suspicions and the mastermind behind the assassination of the First Lady that shocked South Korea on August 15, 1974. Reports introduced the work as a cinematic reimagining of the shooting incident of Yuk Young-soo, the wife of former President Park Chung-hee. At the center of the film is not just the incident itself, but the story of chasing the suspicions and the mastermind surrounding it. Hive Media Corp is in charge of production, provision, and distribution.

The film is directed by Hur Jin-ho and features a cast including Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho. Reports quoting audience reviews also introduced evaluations of the acting by Park Hae-il and Park Jung Min. The subject matter and character composition are based on the work information provided in the reports. As of October 20, entering its fifth week of release, 'The Assassin(s)' was still playing in theaters nationwide. According to the Korean Film Council, it has held the number one spot in the Korean film box office for 21 consecutive days since its release, with the cumulative audience growing to 3,265,450.

Reactions in Audience Reviews

Evaluations left by viewers since the release were also quoted in reports. Audience reviews included reactions such as "I watched it twice and the immersion is the best," and "The actors I trust appeared, so the acting was great and the story was good. If you haven't seen it, you must!" Other evaluations introduced included "It is a thrilling movie until the end. I highly recommend watching it in the theater" and "One thing is certain: it is very fun." These are the opinions of viewers regarding the film's immersion, story, and the actors' performances.

Other reviews included reactions like "It's the best, I'm thinking about rewatching!!" and one viewer wrote, "The film's composition is dense, the details are alive, and the tense directing made it immersive and fun. The acting of Park Hae-il and Park Jung Min was impressive." The evaluations quoted in the reports included those expressing intentions to rewatch. Articles introducing audience reviews reported that positive reactions are continuing even in the fifth week of release. Separately from these reactions, the audience count confirmed by the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing network was 3,265,450 as of 7:00 AM on October 20.

Gratitude Events Following Cancellation of Stage Greetings

Reports also emerged regarding backlash from political circles and certain groups concerning the film. One report stated that there was backlash from political circles, including the People Power Party, after the release, and a conservative lawmaker who had not watched the film requested a suspension of screenings. Another report stated that some far-right groups and YouTubers held a rally in front of the home of actor Yoo Hae-jin, who stars in the film, demanding an apology. There were also reports of threats to the safety of the production team and actors.

According to reports that stage greetings and film festival schedules were canceled due to reasons such as safety threats, the film side decided to proceed with events to repay the support of the audience. An event to gift movie vouchers to celebrate reaching fourth place in the 2026 Korean film box office rankings accepted applications until October 20, with winners to be selected by lottery to receive two vouchers per person. It was announced that winners would be announced on the 21st.

Additionally, an event was prepared to gift limited edition HEIGHTS collaboration T-shirts to participants who post authentication on social media with designated hashtags after booking a movie. It was reported that this event can be participated in until November 1, with winners to be announced the following day. It was announced that details of the events can be found on the official social media of Hive Media Corp.

As of October 20, 'The Assassin(s)' has achieved a cumulative audience of 3,265,450 and a record of 21 consecutive days at number one in the Korean film box office. Even after rising to fourth place in the 2026 Korean film box office rankings, it continues to be screened in theaters nationwide, and the movie voucher and collaboration T-shirt giveaway events are expected to proceed according to the announced schedules.

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