Despite fierce political backlash, boycott threats, and festival cancellations over historical distortion, ‘The Assassin(s)’ reigns supreme at the Korean box office.
The Box Office Paradox: Reigning at #1 as Controversy Mounts
In South Korea’s theatrical ecosystem, high-profile controversy frequently serves as the ultimate accelerant for box office ticket sales. That cultural paradox is playing out in dramatic fashion this autumn. As of the morning of October 7, 2026, director Hur Jin-ho’s polarizing political thriller ‘The Assassin(s)’ (암살자(들)) maintained its unshakeable grip on the No. 1 spot at the nationwide box office for the third consecutive day.
According to official ticketing data released by the Korean Film Council (KOBIS), the production mobilized 54,177 moviegoers on October 6 alone, pushing its cumulative audience tally to 2,466,991 admissions. Requiring fewer than 33,000 additional viewers to eclipse the coveted 2.5-million benchmark, the film is handily resisting boycotts, political condemnation, and harsh ideological crossfire.
‘The Assassin(s)’ Box Office & Controversy Intel
- Current Box Office Rank: #1 nationwide for 3 consecutive days (Cumulative admissions: 2,466,991).
- Historical Motif: Dramatization of the August 15, 1974 assassination attempt on President Park Chung-hee, resulting in the fatal shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo.
- Creative Pedigree: Directed by Hur Jin-ho; starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho.
- Production Defense: Hive Media Corp firmly stated the film does not define specific conspirators as historical fact nor intend to distort established history.
- BIFF Repercussions: Complete cancellation of cast appearances, outdoor greetings, and Lee Min-ho’s Actor's House session at the 31st Busan International Film Festival.
Sensational Subject Matter: The Shadows of August 15, 1974
Released on September 23, ‘The Assassin(s)’ tackles one of the most agonizing, sensitive flashpoints in modern Korean political history: the fateful National Liberation Day ceremony at the National Theater of Korea on August 15, 1974, where assassin Mun Se-gwang opened fire, claiming the life of beloved First Lady Yuk Young-soo.
Featuring an all-star ensemble led by Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho, the cinematic narrative delves deep into covert intelligence friction, clandestine government interrogations, and competing conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy. However, upon release, fierce debates erupted among historians, conservative commentators, and political factions, who accused the production of legitimizing unverified historical revisionism and distorting the motives behind the state crisis.
Fallout in Busan: Silencing Questions at the Opening Press Conference
The public fallout reached a boiling point on the festival circuit. Facing intense media pressure, the cast and crew of The Assassin(s) made the drastic decision to cancel all official engagements at the ongoing 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)—including scheduled red carpet appearances, outdoor fan stage greetings, and leading man Lee Min-ho’s highly anticipated ‘Actors House’ masterclass.
Yet the shadow of the film loomed inescapable over the festival grounds in Haeundae. On the afternoon of October 6, during the official press conference for BIFF's opening romance film ‘Day and Night to Each Other’ (featuring Shim Eun-kyung and Kim Min-ha), investigative journalists bypassed the opening film to aggressively grill festival programmers regarding the controversy surrounding The Assassin(s) and the sudden withdrawal of its star cast.
Stepping in to shield the opening film's cast and director, BIFF Programmer Jung Ji-hye took the microphone to intervene: “We ask for your generous understanding, as this press conference is convened specifically to discuss the opening film. The Busan International Film Festival has already communicated its official position regarding the matter.”
The Competitive Landscape: Korean Theaters at a Glance
Despite the cultural storms, the moviegoing public appears fiercely curious, choosing to evaluate the controversial film firsthand in theaters.
Behind The Assassin(s), family and anime audiences pushed ‘Chiikawa Movie: Secret of Mermaid Island’ into second place with 33,091 viewers (cumulative 769,127 admissions). Crime actioner ‘Tazza: Song of Beelzebub’ claimed the third podium position with 29,569 admissions, standing on the cusp of the 1.5-million milestone (1,491,925 total). Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s historic juggernaut ‘The Odyssey’ and Korean sci-fi tentpole ‘Resurrection Man: The Red’ secured fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Whether ‘The Assassin(s)’ will sustain its box office momentum once the initial wave of sensational curiosity subsides remains the focal point of the autumn exhibition market. What remains undeniable is that cinema that dares to probe South Korea’s historical fault lines continues to hold unmatched commercial and cultural power over the national imagination.