[Dispatch=Park Hye-jin] The gunshots of 1974 ring out again on screens in 2026.

On Liberation Day 1974, six shots fired in a live broadcast venue. Following the two bullets erased from official records, detectives and journalists dig deeper. The era—the most tragic and fierce—has been densely reconstructed.

Above all, the actors' ensemble performances stand out. An era when silence was forced. The three individuals, trampled upon, never let go of the truth. They question, record, and search to the very end.

Ultimately, the story centers on people. Park Hae-il said, "I think the answer to why we need to show the atmosphere of that era now is ultimately about people," speaking to why "Assassin(s)" is necessary now.

The film boasts a star-studded lineup. Actors including Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, Minho, Jungwoo, Park Jungmin, Bae Sung-woo, Eom Ji-won, Park Ji-hwan, Kim Dae-myung, Ryu Hye-young, Shim Eun-kyung, Park Sunghoon, Oh Jung-se, and Shin Hyun-bin participated.

The film "Assassin(s)" (Director Hur Jin-ho) held a press screening and press conference at Megabox Coex in Seoul on the 8th. Director Hur Jin-ho, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Minho attended.

"Assassin(s)" traces the doubts and background behind the sniping of the First Lady that occurred at the 29th Liberation Day celebration on August 15, 1974.

Six gunshots, yet only four bullets were officially reported. The story follows the trail of the two missing shots. The film unfolds at a rapid pace.

The banquet hall turned into chaos, and the core is the process of finding the truth about the incident thereafter. The film continuously close-ups on faces ravaged by despair. Particularly, all three actors' faces are trampled and blood bursts. Yet they do not let go of the truth.

Director Hur said, "It's not a film that draws conclusions," and explained, "We didn't approach it as a film that uncovers hidden truths or backgrounds. I wanted to express the emotions of the people who lived in that era through the process of pursuing (the truth)."

The film unfolds from the perspectives of a detective and a journalist. While Chulgu (played by Yoo Hae-jin) pursues physical evidence at the scene, Jaehwan (played by Park Hae-il) and Youngil (played by Minho) face censorship and external pressure in another battlefield—the newspaper company.

Director Hur stated, "Although it's in the format of a mystery-tracking genre, I wanted to show that era," and added, "The method of showing the atmosphere and situation of that era required questioning what social issues handled by journalists mean. To do that, that perspective was necessary."

Park Hae-il played Jaehwan, deputy director of the social section at Dongseongilbo. When everyone tries to conclude the incident, he is a character who digs into its deeper layers. Through sharp and tenacious reporting, he approaches the reality of truth.

Park Hae-il said, "In Korean cinema, the role of a journalist is only momentarily appealing, and there aren't many films that develop it as a theme with long-form breath. Even when there are, it seems rare to approach it more seriously in this manner," setting the tone.

When he first received the script, his curiosity was drawn to the journalist role. "Can the role of a journalist dominate an era within a single work? That was a big challenge for me," he revealed why he was captivated by Jaehwan.

Park Hae-il reunited with Director Hur for the first time in about 10 years since "Deok Hye-ongjoo." He said, "I'm greatly grateful that you sought me out again after 10 years," and continued, "Since it's a second collaboration, the challenge was to show something new rather than follow the same path. Though the burden was great, thanks to the director, I was able to work through it little by little."

Park Hae-il anchors the core of the narrative and carries it forward. With a weighted yet sharp gaze, he continuously injects tension. Moments of restraint continue, and finally, emotions burst out for the freedom of the press.

He said, "I tried to maintain as much as possible the horizontal aspects like universal professional calling and responsibility of journalists," and added, "Though the era is different, I acted believing that the professional aspects wouldn't be greatly different even now."

Yoo Hae-jin played Chulgu, a detective from the Central Police Station who handled on-site security. When a colleague is wrongfully taken away, he traces the reality of the incident. Standing at the forefront of the investigation, he demonstrates desperate determination.

He said, "There were considerable detailed and emotional elements," and added, "Thanks to the director, who questioned even the smallest details we might overlook, saying 'Hae-jin, why is this?', I always studied on set."

In the latter part of the film, as the Taegeuk flag flutters and the national anthem plays, he gazes alone in the opposite direction. It's a scene that compresses Chulgu's inner world and a scene containing Director Hur's question.

Minho took on the role of Youngil, a rookie journalist. A character who witnesses the incident and innocent victims most closely. He boldly dives into the case, retracing clues left at the scene.

He brought out the characteristic vigor of a newcomer and the sly character of a youngest member. He explained, "Youngil is drawn as a lively character, opposite to the section chief. I had many conversations with the director about movement that could maximize physicality."

He said, "I feel we live in an era where sensational titles matter more than truth," and continued, "With the increase of one-person YouTubers and content, we live in an era where it's difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood."

He went on to say, "(For that reason) I yearned for conviction about truth. Becoming such a person is also my pursuit," and explained, "I focused most on that when acting."

Minho plays a role that provides breathing room in the heavy narrative. He said, "The director's gentle tone contained fierceness," and added, "Those processes accumulated, allowing me to act freely while maintaining my own color," crediting the director.

The lineup is also worth watching. Bae Sung-woo appears as the editor-in-chief, Eom Ji-won as Chulgu's wife, Park Ji-hwan as the forensics manager, and Kim Dae-myung and Ryu Hye-young as social section reporters.

Shim Eun-kyung plays an assistant helping Youngil's coverage in Japan, Park Hae-jun a Korean-Japanese, Park Sunghoon a prosecutor, Oh Jung-se an audio engineer, and Shin Hyun-bin a woman providing clues to the investigation.

Director Hur said, "Initially, that wasn't the plan, but everyone found the script fun and took on one scene each," and continued, "We made it with authenticity in mind so it wouldn't be consumed. There's also the positive meaning of 'the actors are fun to watch'."

Particularly, Park Jungmin made a cameo appearance as Moon Se-gwang. Director Hur said, "The role didn't have many lines and was extremely difficult. I ended conversations questioning what kind of person Moon Se-gwang was with (Park). He's a character who dominates from beginning to end. He did it wonderfully."

Jungwoo plays Han Sang-il, a corporate tycoon. Director Hur explained, "The role of Han, the chairman and Youngil's brother, has a certain symbolism," and added, "I wanted an actor of considerable weight with the audience to play it."

The era of 1974 has been meticulously researched. Location shooting took place in buildings and spaces built in the 1960s and 70s. The screen was also shot considering the grain of film from that period.

Yoo Hae-jin said, "Childhood memories from elementary school, spent in alleys, came to mind," and explained, "The space that became the house background is a remaining location in Daejeon before redevelopment. The house and alley conveyed that era well."

Minho said, "When I first went to shoot at the reporter's room, the art direction elements were so well implemented that I became immersed," and continued, "Even things like actual cigarette smoke were set up thickly. It was a set that was perfect down to the cigarette smell and smoke."

Park Hae-il said, "Art Director Kim Byung-han set up the 70s in detail. It felt like being pulled from the present into a 70s newspaper office," and added, "To that extent, I wanted to present the characters realistically."

Ultimately, the question left by "Assassin(s)" doesn't stop at 1974. It concludes by posing questions to the audience.

Finally, Yoo Hae-jin said with a laugh, "It's good that various Korean films are coming out during Chuseok. Among them, I hope 'Assassin(s)' receives a lot of love."

"Assassin(s)" was produced by Hive Media Corp., a company that has presented works dealing with modern and contemporary Korean history such as "Seoul Spring" and "The Man Standing Next." The film will be released on the 23rd.

<Photo=Song Hyo-jin Reporter (Dispatch)>