How Did the "The Assassin(s)" Bullet Merchandise Come to Be? Looking at the Apology

[Anchor]

Following historical distortion controversies surrounding the movie "The Assassin(s)", promotional merchandise distributed to audience members has now sparked backlash. Amid criticism that the item "commercialized a historical tragedy," Megabox issued an apology and announced that all remaining stock will be discarded.

Reporter Park Seyong has the details.

[Reporter]

The film "The Assassin(s)" has been embroiled in controversy over historical distortion for dealing with the shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-su.

This original ticket is a promotional item that Megabox handed out for free to audience members who watched the movie.

It consists of a white paper ticket intended for collection and a transparent sheet with six holes.

When the two are layered together, four bullet casings multiply into six, reminiscent of the movie's promotional tagline, "Four bullets, six gunshots."

In particular, the holes on the transparent sheet appear to represent bullet marks, with one of them overlapping over a figure seated on the podium during the 1974 Liberation Day ceremony.

This spot corresponds to the location where First Lady Yuk Young-su was sitting at the time of the shooting.

Following criticism from the political sphere on October 2 that the design "seems to let the audience complete the shooting scene with their own hands," around 50 members of a conservative civic group held a rally near the home of actor Yoo Hai-jin today, demanding the suspension of the movie screenings.

Megabox, which distributed the merchandise, released an apology.

The company explained that due to a tight schedule, the staff manufactured the merchandise without previewing the movie, adding that they "failed to deeply grasp the gravity and weight carried by a historical tragedy and harrowing incident."

It also apologized to those who felt discomfort and those who suffered the pain of the incident at the time, stating that all remaining quantity will be completely destroyed.

Amid controversies over the film's historical distortion extending to political disputes, protests outside an actor's home, and an apology over the merchandise, "The Assassin(s)" has surpassed 2 million moviegoers.

(Video by Choi Jun-sik | Video Editing by Seeun Shin | Graphics by Taeyoung Park)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.