The Assassin(s) has returned to the top of the South Korean box office after briefly losing the No. 1 spot to Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub.
According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing system, The Assassin(s) attracted 61,496 moviegoers on September 29, bringing its cumulative audience to 1,695,104.
Meanwhile, Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub moved down to No. 2 with 56,136 admissions for the day. Its total audience reached 958,060, putting the film close to the 1 million viewer milestone.
The Assassin(s) originally opened at No. 1 and remained there for five consecutive days before Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub briefly took the lead. The historical thriller has now reclaimed the top position.
*Odyssey* ranked No. 3, while the theatrically released Netflix film *Possible Love* placed fourth.
The box office success comes as The Assassin(s) faces public debate over its portrayal of a historical event involving former South Korean first lady Yuk Young Soo.
Responding to criticism surrounding the film, the production team said, *“As this work is based on a historical event and real people, there may be various interpretations and criticisms, and we respect those opinions.”*
However, the filmmakers stressed that the movie was not created for a specific political purpose.
The production team also denied online claims that Chinese funding was involved, stating that *“no Chinese capital was involved in the production or investment process”* and that the film was independently planned and produced with domestic funding.
