Busan Film Festival Hits Record Attendance Amid Controversy Over “The Assassin(s)”

Busan International Film Festival’s 31st edition reported 200,043 admissions for film screenings and a combined attendance of 277,027 when talks and ancillary events are included, the strongest numbers since 2015. The increase follows a schedule overhaul that opened the festival on a Tuesday and added an extra screening slot each day from Thursday to Sunday, aiming to capture weekend-going audiences. The program showcased 315 titles, including 94 world premieres, and welcomed stars like Michelle Yeoh, Alfonso Cuaron, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Isabelle Huppert, Hirokazu Koreeda and Fan Bingbing.

A political scandal erupted when “The Assassin(s)”, a thriller about the 1974 killing of first lady Yuk Young-soo, was accused by right-wing groups of defaming former President Park Chung-hee, prompting the film’s director and cast to pull out for safety reasons. Festival director Jung Han-seok emphasized caution, while jury president Zhang Yimou argued fiction need not be strictly factual. The Asian Contents & Film Market attracted 30,484 visitors and a joint Korean-Japanese fund of 100 billion won was announced. Awards will be handed out by jury member Im Si-wan at the closing ceremony in the Busan Cinema Center.