Why a film about a dictator has South Korea at war with itself

AI Summary

The South Korean film The Assassin(s), depicting the 1974 assassination attempt on former leader Park Chung-hee, became a box-office hit during the Chuseok holiday. Its success has been met with demands to stop screenings and a police complaint against its director and producers, reflecting political divisions over the film's portrayal.

Like many films released during Chuseok, South Korea’s national mid-autumn harvest festival, The Assassin(s) shot right to the top, selling more than a million tickets in its first four days. But the box-office success of the film about the 1974 assassination attempt on former president and military leader Park Chung-hee was quickly overshadowed by calls to halt screenings, as well as a police complaint against the film’s director and producers. Park loyalists and conservative politicians are...