Yoo Hae Jin, Park Hae Il and Lee Min Ho opened up about their upcoming mystery thriller The Assassin(s) in a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar Korea.
Directed by Hur Jin Ho and inspired by real events, the film follows an investigation into the questions surrounding the August 15th, 1974 assassination of South Korea’s First Lady.
Park Hae Il said the challenge was turning a historic event into an engaging film without losing the atmosphere of the era.
“The Assassin(s) is inspired by an event that was broadcast live across the country at the time,” he said. “What’s important is that this isn’t a documentary – it’s a film made for audiences. We all shared the challenge of capturing the atmosphere of that era while still making an entertaining movie.”
Yoo said he was intrigued to see Hur, best known for more restrained, character-driven films, tackle a different genre.
“I had always thought of his previous films as having a lot of quiet space, so I was very curious because this was such a different kind of movie,” he said, adding that Hur’s detailed approach and cinematographer Lee Mo Gae’s faster pace complemented each other.
The actors also described how their characters pursue the same mystery from different angles. Park plays newspaper city editor Kim Jae Hwan, who pieces together evidence through reporting, while Yoo plays police officer Park Chul Gu, who witnessed the shooting firsthand and investigates on the ground.
“While Jae Hwan pieces together information inside the newsroom, Chul Gu goes out and tracks things down himself,” Yoo said. “The audience follows the same questions Chul Gu has, so I approached the role hoping they would chase the truth alongside him.”
Lee Min Ho, who plays rookie reporter Han Young Il, said the film’s focus on truth resonated with him.
“I think we now live in a time when sensationalism often takes priority over truth,” Lee said. “That made the conviction of people who believed in the value of truth and pursued it despite the restrictions of their era stand out even more.”
He added, “These days, the idea of ‘truth’ can sometimes sound old-fashioned, but whether it’s in our personal relationships or within groups and institutions, I believe sincerity and truth deserve to be respected.”
Park also pointed to the parentheses in the film’s title as an intentional clue for audiences.
“The title is ‘The Assassin(s).’ They deliberately put the ‘s’ in parentheses,” he explained. “The title itself is a kind of signal to the audience – a device inviting them to recognize and engage with that irony.”
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