Film 'The Assassin(s)' to Open SGIFF Following Strong Domestic Box Office Performance
Director Hur Jin-ho's film 'The Assassin(s)' has reached over 3.28 million viewers in South Korea and has been selected as the opening film for the 37th SGIFF. Despite protests from some groups and requests from People Power Party lawmakers to withdraw the film, the festival confirmed it will proceed with the screening.
According to media reports, director Hur Jin-ho's film 'The Assassin(s)' recorded a cumulative audience of 3,281,594 people as of the October 21 count from the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network. The film has held the number one spot at the Korean film box office for 22 consecutive days and has topped the weekly and weekend Korean film box office charts for four consecutive weeks.
Having surpassed 3 million viewers on the 12th day, which was the 20th day since its release, the work has risen to 4th place in the 2026 South Korean film box office rankings. The CGV Golden Egg Index is 92%, the LOTTE CINEMA audience rating is 9.2, and the Naver actual viewer rating is 8.9. Attention is also focused on whether the film can surpass the 3.7 million viewers reported to be its break-even point.
The film is also scheduled to be screened at international film festivals. Following its official invitation to the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, it has been selected as the opening film for the 37th SGIFF, which opens on the 21st.
'The Assassin(s)' is a work that reconstructs the 1974 shooting incident of Yuk Young-soo through cinematic imagination. Since its release, there has been ongoing backlash from certain groups and YouTubers, including a rally held in front of the residence of actor Yoo Hae-jin demanding an apology.
While 109 members of the National Assembly belonging to the People Power Party sent a letter demanding the withdrawal of the opening film screening from SGIFF, the request was not accepted. The festival stated, "We are aware of the series of discussions," but added, "We respect the creative vision of the production team, and this work is scheduled to be screened as the opening film of the 37th SGIFF without change." The festival further noted that the production team has explained the work as a product of cinematic imagination that combines a historical event with fictional characters and situations. They added that the film was not produced to reach historical conclusions, distort facts, or for political purposes. In this context, the festival stated it would present the work as a creative creation.
Covers K-pop for SPECIALTIMES GLOBAL, and also writes Culture and K-Variety stories.
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