The Assassin(s) has returned to the top of the Korean box office as discussion over the film’s portrayal of a historical event continues.
According to the Korean Film Council’s box office data, the film drew 55,018 moviegoers on October 1, taking the No. 1 spot for the day. Its cumulative audience reached 1,821,963, putting it close to the 2 million mark.
The film had briefly fallen behind *Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island* before reclaiming first place one day later. *Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub* ranked second with 49,832 viewers, while *Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island* followed in third with 45,776.
The Assassin(s) is a fictional thriller inspired by the 1974 assassination attempt on then-President Park Chung-hee, which resulted in the death of First Lady Yuk Young-soo. The film combines real historical events with fictional characters and situations.
The movie has faced criticism from some political and civic groups over its interpretation of the historical event. In response, the production team said the film was created as a work of fiction rather than an attempt to establish a new historical conclusion or serve a particular political purpose.
The production company also separately denied online claims that Chinese capital had been used to finance the film, stating that The Assassin(s) was independently planned and produced by Korean creators using domestic investment.
Despite the continuing debate, The Assassin(s) has maintained strong box office performance and is now approaching 2 million admissions.
