BUSAN, South Korea — South Korean actor Lee Min-ho has called off his participation in the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), organizers announced Thursday.
The decision comes as political and public criticism continues to mount over his latest historical feature, “The Assassin(s)”.
The actor was originally scheduled to appear on October 7 for the festival’s Actors’ House—an interactive platform designed as “an in-depth talk program that invites leading actors to look back on their works and share insights into their acting careers and philosophies”.
However, festival management confirmed the cancellation on October 1.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, the event has been cancelled,” the BIFF said.
Directed by Hur Jin-ho and featuring a star-studded cast including Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho, the film dramatizes the real-life August 15, 1974 attempted assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee—an attack that resulted in the death of First Lady Yuk Young-soo. President Park governed the country from 1962 until his own assassination in October 1979.
Since opening in South Korean theaters on September 23, where it quickly surged to become the second highest-grossing release of the month, the movie has drawn strong pushback.
Lawmakers from the opposition People Power Party (PPP) have publicly accused the production of warping historical facts.
The Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation also issued a sharp condemnation targeting the filmmakers and associated parties, claiming the production “has inflicted indelible pain upon President Park Chung-hee—who dedicated his life to the nation and its people—and his bereaved family”.
Demanding an immediate halt to theater screenings alongside an official public explanation and apology, the foundation voiced grave concerns over the portrayal of the national tragedy.
The foundation “expresses grave concern regarding actions that exploit a national tragedy for box-office success and entertainment; such actions not only inflict wounds and humiliation upon historical figures, their bereaved families, and the citizens who vividly remember the event, but also undermine the brilliant achievements the Korean film industry has built over a long period,” the statement read.