[Son Seong-jin Column] Park Chung-hee’s Self-Staged Drama, An Absurd Assumption

Ultimately, it escalated into a factional conflict. While the movie *Assassination(ies)* achieved the benefit of surpassing 2 million viewers through a form of "noise marketing," the nation has been torn in two over this issue. Ignoring the truth, people are defending and attacking based on their own respective logics. There is a legal term called "substantive truth." Truth is a tool for distinguishing between justice and injustice, and between legality and illegality. It is not something to be debated based on partisan logic.
The truth is always one. The shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo is 99% true, and suspicion amounts to only 1%. It is a case where the substantive truth has been confirmed. It is clear without the need to list the evidence and circumstances one by one. The movie greatly amplified minor suspicions. Countless citizens were watching the scene on TV, and no suspicions regarding the involvement of President Park Chung-hee or other forces were raised during the investigation.
To harbor suspicion, one must be able to present evidence (counter-evidence) that contradicts such obvious facts. The suspicion that Park Chung-hee staged a hoax to shift the focus after the kidnapping of Kim Dae-jung is merely speculation. There is no evidence whatsoever. The fact that no bullet was found is also just a point of doubt. Evidence that First Lady Yuk was struck by a bullet fired by Mun Se-gwang remains in the broadcast footage of CBS in the United States. Can the producers claim that the American footage was fabricated?
If it were a staged act, it would imply that Park Chung-hee manipulated Mun Se-gwang, which is preposterous. One of the bullets fired by Mun Se-gwang flew into the podium where Park Chung-hee was giving a speech. Even if he had ordered his wife to be killed while staging the incident, it is highly unlikely that he would have ordered his own wife to be shot as well. Park Chung-hee's words also remain in U.S. documents, stating, "Many people had advised me to resign for years, and for 100 days after my death, I wondered if my wife would still be alive if I had accepted that advice."
Moon Se-gwang spoke these last words just before his execution: "I was a fool. Please convey my sincere apologies to President Park. I will pray for the repose of the souls of Mrs. Yuk and the deceased female student even in the afterlife. Since I was a fool for committing such a grave error after being deceived by Chongryon, it is only natural that I face execution." If this was a self-staged act by Park Chung-hee, it would mean that even this last will was fabricated or coerced. Even if Park Chung-hee had voluntarily committed such an act of patricide, he could not have forced a will upon anyone.
1974 was the year two years after the October Yushin, when Emergency Measures No. 1 and No. 2 were issued. From President Park's perspective, despite opposition from the opposition and universities, he had seized control of state affairs and secured governing power, whether right or wrong. In particular, as inter-Korean dialogue was underway, there was no reason to instigate a massive incident that would invite discord.
Director Hur Jin-ho distanced himself from the claim that he portrayed President Park as being behind the incident. Whether that was his true intention is unknown. However, interpretation is up to the audience, not the producer. If the audience feels that way, then so be it. Instead, Director Hur put forward the possibility of a power struggle within the Central Intelligence Agency at the time. The CIA Director at the time was Shin Jik-su, a figure loyal to Park Chung-hee who remained in office for another two and a half years after the incident.
It is inappropriate for a movie to pursue the truth of an event. This is because movies are based on fiction and imagination and aim for commercial success. They are completely different from the direction of truth. The attempt to find the truth through film is a contradictory act. Documentary films are frequently produced. They are made based strictly on facts, incorporating existing photographs and footage. 'The Assassin(ies)' attempted to gain the audience's trust by mimicking a documentary, inserting footage from the time of the incident while including a subtitle stating that "characters and specific events have been partially adapted."
It is common for movies and dramas based on history to include details that differ from the facts or to exaggerate them for dramatic effect. However, historical dramas must also be based strictly on facts. Shin Bong-seung, a master of TV historical dramas, said, "You must embellish it to make it entertaining, but it must not deviate from the facts." It is said that he always carried the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty with him.
Many historical films and dramas mislead audiences and viewers by mixing facts or "faction," which blends fact and fiction. Viewers come to believe these works, where the boundaries are unclear, to be the truth, which in turn affects the historical consciousness of the entire nation. "The Man Living with the King" also contains numerous fictional elements.
Even the dramatization of history for entertainment purposes must not distort the truth. Particular caution is required for films involving stakeholders, such as bereaved families or descendants, as their reputation is at stake. Audiences and the public are always smarter than producers. However, facts must not be distorted, even for the sake of those who are not. Films that incite with falsehoods are no different from the flood of fake news.
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