"The Film Industry Is Fundamentally Left-Wing"... Yoon Kye-sang's Remarks from 17 Years Ago Resurface Amid 'Assassin(s)' Controversy

[Financial News] Amid a growing dispute over historical distortion surrounding the film 'Assassin(s),' which deals with the 1974 shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, a remark made by actor Yoon Kye-sang in an interview 17 years ago that "the Korean film industry is fundamentally left-wing" has resurfaced online, fueling an ideological debate.
On the 1st, posts compiling past articles were widely shared on online communities and social media under headlines such as 'Yoon Kye-sang's principled remarks from the past' and 'Yoon Kye-sang's interview on the film industry's left-wing nature.' As conservative criticism of the film industry has intensified following the recent controversy over historical distortion in 'Assassin(s),' his past remarks have been receiving renewed attention.
The remark was made in a November 2009 interview with men's magazine 'GQ.' Ahead of the release of the film 'The Executioner,' Yoon Kye-sang discussed the prejudice faced by actors from idol backgrounds and said, "It is not that I am being dismissed because I am an actor from an idol background; the Korean film industry is fundamentally left-wing. It is very unfriendly toward me."
However, the context of the remark had little to do with political ideology. When the interviewer asked about the nuance of the word, Yoon Kye-sang explained, "It means that it is closed off. I say this because I experienced it firsthand." He intended to describe an insular film industry where it was difficult for actors from idol backgrounds to have their sincerity recognized.
Nevertheless, as the remark sparked political repercussions, Yoon Kye-sang immediately apologized by posting a message titled 'A Shameful Day' on his fan cafe on November 2, 2009. He bowed his head, saying, "It was a complete mistake on my part because I misunderstood the broader meaning of the word 'left-wing.' It was not meant to convey political views, nor did it mean that the film industry treated me with prejudice. I am deeply ashamed of my ignorance, and I will study much harder going forward."
The backdrop to the resurfacing of the remark, which had been settled 17 years ago, is a fierce political confrontation over the film 'Assassin(s).' Directed by Hur Jin-ho, the film is based on the shooting of Yuk Young-soo. It has become the center of controversy by presenting cinematic hypotheses, including the possibility of accomplices and suspicions that institutions of power at the time were involved, in addition to the established theory that Mun Se-gwang acted alone.
The People Power Party and the Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Foundation strongly objected, calling it "an obvious distortion of history and defamation of the reputation of the deceased." Some politicians also called for the film to be pulled from theaters and for the production team to appear at a parliamentary audit.
As the controversy intensified, Hive Media, the film's production company, responded, "It is simply a fictional film that adds imagination to historical records. We did not designate any particular person as being behind the incident or present the film's settings as historical facts." The company added, "We had no intention of distorting established facts or reaching a definitive conclusion."
[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter