Lee Min Ho is taking his acting career in an exciting new direction with the upcoming film The Assassins(s). It is a tense, history-based thriller from acclaimed director Heo Jin Ho.
The film is produced by Hive Media Corp, the company behind The Man Standing Next, 12.12: The Day, and Harbin. It brings together some of Korea’s most respected names, including Yoo Hae Jin and Park Hae Il.
Set in August 1974, Assassins revisits one of South Korea’s most shocking real-life moments — the attempted assassination of President Park Chung Hee. Rather than simply retelling the event, the movie dives deep into the chaos, fear, and moral dilemmas surrounding that day.
Lee Min Ho caps off a busy year with this film after appearing in the sci-fi rom-com When the Stars Gossip and the fantasy action film Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy.
‘The Assassins(s)’ Leading Cast
At the center of the story is Yoo Hae Jin, playing a police superintendent who witnesses the tragedy firsthand. Yoo is known for his memorable performances in A Taxi Driver, Veteran, Exhuma, The Night Owl, and more.
Park Hae Il, who previously worked with Heo Jin Ho on The Last Princess, takes on the role of a determined journalist and head of a newspaper’s social affairs department. His character digs relentlessly into the unanswered questions surrounding the case, even when doing so puts his own safety at risk.
Park’s track record in films like Decision to Leave, The King’s Letters, The Fortress, and Hansan: Rising Dragon makes him a perfect fit for this layered role.
Lee Min Ho steps into a completely new kind of character. He plays a passionate rookie reporter who happens to witness the incident, placing him right at the heart of the unfolding crisis. It’s a major shift from his usual romantic and fantasy roles, and one that gives him the chance to show a more grounded, emotional side of his acting.
For Lee Min Ho, Assassins represents another turning point in an already impressive career. Over the past few years, he has steadily expanded his range — from global hits like The King: Eternal Monarch and The Legend of the Blue Sea to his acclaimed performance in Apple TV+’s Pachinko.
His agency has shared that the actor will display “deeper and more delicate acting” in Assassins. It is evident that the role offers him the chance to explore something entirely different. Playing a young journalist caught between truth and survival, he’ll be sharing the screen with some of Korea’s most seasoned actors.
Creative Team
The creative team behind The Assassins(s) reads like a who’s who of Korean cinema. Director Heo Jin Ho, celebrated for his ability to blend human emotion with social and political context, leads the project. Cinematographer Lee Mo Gae and lighting director Lee Sung Hwan, both known for their stunning work in Emergency Declaration and 12.12: The Day, are on board as well.
The film’s makeup and costumes are led by Song Jong Hee (Concrete Utopia, Decision to Leave) and Choi Yoon Sun (The Hunt). VFX supervisor Jeong Jae Hoon from 12.12: The Day ensures the visuals match the film’s ambitious tone.
Filming for The Assassins(s) began in August and is now in full swing, with the movie scheduled for release sometime in 2026.
