SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- Director Hur Jin-ho, who helmed "The Assassin(s)," said Monday he tried to maintain a balanced point of view in the historical thriller based on the 1974 assassination attempt against then President Park Chung-hee.
The Korean film, which centers on the incident that resulted in the death of the first lady, features a star-studded cast, including Yoo Hae-jin of the megahit "The King's Warden" (2026), Park Hae-il of "Decision to Leave" (2022) and Lee Min-ho of the acclaimed saga "Pachinko" (2022-24).
"It was not an easy story," Hur told reporters in a press conference in Seoul, saying he pondered how to make the film for more than a decade.
"Because it was a real-life tragedy and there are people involved who still survive, I thought deeply about how I should approach it ... The top priority was to maintain a balanced and objective point of view that does not lean to any side," he said.
Director Hur Jin-ho of the upcoming film "The Assassin(s)" speaks in a press conference in Seoul on Aug. 10, 2026. (Yonhap)
Hur, known for preferring to shoot his films in existing spaces, once again opted to rely on existing buildings and streets, and build meticulous stage sets to recreate the ambience of the 1970s.
"As you can see from his previous works, Hur has a knack for extracting lively and realistic scenes through open sets that actually exist. Because that is felt by the actors, it was really helpful for acting," Park, who plays veteran reporter Jae-hwan, said, calling such efforts akin to "magic."
While the film puts emphasis on reality, Hur stressed the three main characters are not based on specific figures related to the actual incident but actually are a complex accumulation of historic research and interviews.
Alongside Park, Yoo plays police detective Cheol-gu, who is deployed to a Liberation Day ceremony as security personnel but ends up witnessing the shocking incident, while Lee portrays Young-il, a rookie reporter from an affluent family who chases truth and freedom.
(From L to R) Director Hur Jin-ho and actors Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho pose for a group photo during a press conference for the upcoming film "The Assassin(s)" in Seoul on Aug. 10, 2026. (Yonhap)
For the director and the cast, "The Assassin(s)" marks a reunion for Hur and Park 10 years after the historical film "The Last Princess" (2016). Yoo and Park, meanwhile, teamed up once again following the mystery thriller "Moss" (2010).
The main actors recalled the shooting experience on a positive note, complimenting their chemistry.
"I have always envied his gaze. Shooting this film, I felt that his gaze has grown deeper and continues to carry that energy of perseverance," Yoo said on his experience of working with Park, while calling Lee a very "smart" actor who is also clever in his everyday conversations.
Lee, who teamed up with the two veteran actors for the film, said it marked the first time he felt completely at ease while filming a project.
"The Assassin(s)" is set to hit local theaters during the Chuseok holiday after having its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, set for next month.