Culture war targets films and dramas portraying Korea's path toward democratization

Political pressure has mounted in South Korea against films and dramas portraying modern history, including The Assassin(s) and Doctor X: Mafia in White. Critics of the works have accused them of distorting history or promoting partisan messages, while experts link the backlash to political calculations and weakening generational consensus about democratization. Civil society groups and commentators warn that the disputes could threaten creative freedom, social cohesion and the cultural industry.

A petition seeking to suspend Doctor X was filed on the National Assembly’s National Consent Petition website on Oct. 24, after its sixth episode depicted a May 18 uprising victim with shrapnel lodged in his head for 46 years.

People Power Party lawmakers demanded that The Assassin(s) production team appear before a parliamentary audit and called for the film’s festival screening to be canceled, its domestic release banned and its proceeds confiscated.

People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy accused the People Power Party of using artistic freedom and the public’s right to enjoy culture in political disputes aimed at winning votes and rallying support.

The Cultural Arts and Sports Committee of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society described the attacks on The Assassin(s) as a return of a blacklist through public authority and collective intimidation.

Published Nov 3, 2026 3:30 pm KST

'The Assassin(s),' 'Dr. X' face backlash as political attacks intensify

Yoo Hae-jin, left, plays a detective investigating questions surrounding the shooting of a first lady in the film "The Assassin(s)." Kim Ji-won, right, appears as a doctor who performs surgery on a victim of the May 18 Democratic Uprising in the SBS drama "Doctor X: Mafia in White." Courtesy of Hive Media Corp. and SBS

Political pressure has recently mounted against films and TV dramas dealing with modern Korean history. The film "The Assassin(s)" has faced accusations of distorting history for raising questions about the assasination of first lady Yuk Young-soo, while the popular SBS medical drama "Doctor X: Mafia in White" has been attacked for addressing the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

Experts attribute the backlash to a combination of weakening generational consensus over historical facts and their significance, and political calculations by forces seeking to exploit the gap as an opportunity to expand their support base. They also warn that these divisive and unproductive disputes could develop into a "culture war," potentially undermining creative freedom and social cohesion.

On Oct. 24, a petition calling for the suspension of "Dr. X" was filed on the National Assembly's National Consent Petition website. It appeared shortly after the drama's sixth episode showed its protagonist, Dr. Kye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), meeting a victim who lost his older brother to military helicopter fire during the May 18 uprising and had lived for 46 years with shrapnel lodged in his head. Kye urges him to undergo surgery.

A scene from "Doctor X: Mafia in White" / Captured from SBS

The petitioner claimed that the inclusion of the May 18 uprising "appears to be an attempt to force a particular political stance into the story." Rep. Lee Jin-sook of the People Power Party joined the criticism, writing on social media that "films and dramas are repeatedly being turned into vehicles for conveying partisan messages."

"The Assassin(s)" has also remained at the center of controversy since its release in September, with People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers accusing it of distorting history and demanding that its production team appear before a parliamentary audit, while also calling for the cancellation of its screening as the opening film of an overseas film festival, a ban on domestic release and confiscation of the proceeds from the film.

The attacks have extended to the actors. Members of conservative groups held a protest outside the home of "The Assassin(s)" lead actor Yoo Hae-jin last month, while Kim Ji-won, the star of "Doctor X," has been subjected to malicious online comments.

From left, posters for the film "A Taxi Driver" (2017) and KBS drama "Youth of May" (2021), both of which deal with the May 18 Democratic Uprising / Courtesy of Showbox and KBS

Politicization of cultural content

Many observers say the current level of political attacks on films and dramas dealing with modern Korean history is unprecedented. Allegations surrounding the shooting of Yuk, which "The Assassin(s)" explores, have already been covered several times by investigative programs on major broadcast channels. The May 18 uprising has also been the subject of popular works, including the 1995 drama "Sandglass," the 2021 drama "Youth of May" and the 2017 film "A Taxi Driver." However, these works did not face comparable backlash.

Analysts say the changing response to such productions is closely tied to changes in politics.

"Whereas political disputes in the past largely took the form of ideological struggles over broad, overarching issues, they are now fought through micro-discourses and everyday cultural discourse," Yoon Seok-jin, a professor of Korean language and literature at Chungnam National University, said. "The conservative camp in particular appears to be waging a culture war in an effort to escape its ongoing political crises."

Yoon described the attacks as "the opening salvo in a political battle waged through culture."

Another interpretation is that the attacks are exploiting a generational phenomenon in which the memories and lessons of a tragic past have not been adequately communicated to younger generations.

"Conservative forces are turning content about modern Korean history into a political tool to broaden their appeal among younger people, whose awareness of and sensitivity to the history of democratization are relatively limited," said Kim Heon-sik, a popular culture critic. "Turning May 18, a massacre of civilians, into a political controversy and using intimidation to silence others is a regression in historical consciousness."

Members of a civic group hold a rally calling for a halt to screenings of the film "The Assassin(s)" outside a movie theater in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 6. CGV Gumi suspended screenings of the film starting that day. Yonhap

Civil society groups have also voiced concern. People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy issued a statement on Thursday, accusing the PPP of using not only artistic freedom but also the public's right to enjoy culture as tools in political disputes for purposes such as winning votes, rallying its support base, deepening political hostility and attracting media attention.

The Cultural Arts and Sports Committee of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society also condemned political attacks on "The Assassin(s)" in a statement issued Friday, describing it as "nothing less than the return of a blacklist, revived through a combination of public authority and collective intimidation."

Oh Sang-beom (Ha Seong-kwang), right, a victim of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, sees an apparition of his older brother, who was killed by the military during the uprising in the drama "Doctor X: Mafia in White." Courtesy of SBS

Media esponsibility and historical facts

The way the media reports on these disputes has also come under scrutiny. Critics argue that describing the May 18 uprising as a "controversy" while uncritically relaying conservative claims effectively helps amplify far right discourse, despite the fact that the military's massacre of civilians has been firmly established in legal and historical terms.

"It is a serious problem when the media labels far right groups' groundless claims 'controversy' and gives them space in public discourse," said Kim Seong-su, a popular culture critic.

There are also growing concerns that the indiscriminate politicization of culture could damage the cultural industry as a whole.

"People are entitled to express their opinions about creative works, but we must guard against actions that distort the market, such as calls to halt broadcasts or screenings, and attempts to intimidate creators," Kim Heon-sik said. "If this continues, it will become difficult for works dealing with modern history to make qualitative advances. Ultimately, such content may have no choice but to move to Netflix, where it is less vulnerable to domestic political pressures."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

在韩国，针对描绘现代历史的电影和电视剧，包括《刺客》和《X博士：白衣黑帮》，政治压力日益增大。批评者指责这些作品歪曲历史或宣扬党派立场，而专家则认为这种抵制源于政治考量，并削弱了韩国社会对民主化的代际共识。民间团体和评论员警告说，这些争议可能会威胁到创作自由、社会凝聚力和文化产业。

10 月 24 日，在《X医生》第六集讲述了一名 5 月 18 日起义的受害者头部被弹片击中 46 年的故事后，一份要求暂停该剧播出的请愿书被提交到国民议会的全国同意请愿网站上。

人民力量党议员要求《刺客》制作团队接受议会审计，并呼吁取消该电影的电影节放映，禁止其在国内上映，并没收其收益。

人民参与民主团结组织指责人民力量党利用艺术自由和公众享受文化的权利，在政治争端中赢得选票和争取支持。

民主社会律师协会文化艺术和体育委员会将对刺客的攻击描述为通过公共权力和集体恐吓恢复黑名单的行为。

发布于2026年11月3日下午3:30（韩国标准时间）

随着政治攻击加剧，《刺客》和《X博士》面临强烈反对。

左图为柳海珍在电影《刺客》中饰演一名调查第一夫人枪击案的刑警。右图为金智媛在SBS电视剧《Doctor X：白衣黑帮》中饰演一名为“五一八”民主运动受害者进行手术的医生。图片由Hive Media Corp.和SBS提供。

近期，涉及韩国现代史的电影和电视剧面临着越来越大的政治压力。电影《刺客》因质疑第一夫人陆英秀遇刺案而遭到歪曲历史的指责，而热门SBS医疗剧《Doctor X：白衣黑帮》则因涉及“五一八”民主化运动而受到抨击。

专家认为，这种反弹源于两方面因素：一是不同世代对历史事实及其意义的共识日渐式微；二是某些政治势力试图利用这种认知鸿沟来扩大自身支持基础。他们还警告说，这些分裂且无益的争论可能会演变成一场“文化战争”，进而损害创作自由和社会凝聚力。

10月24日，一份要求停播电视剧《X医生》的请愿书出现在韩国国会的全国同意请愿网站上。此前不久，该剧第六集播出，剧中主人公桂秀贞医生（金智媛饰）遇到了一位在5·18事件中因军用直升机炮火失去哥哥、头部留有弹片46年之久的受害者。桂秀贞医生劝说他接受手术。

《X博士：白衣黑手党》剧照 / 截图来自SBS电视台

请愿者声称，将5月18日起义纳入剧情“似乎是为了将某种特定的政治立场强加于故事之中”。国民力量党议员李镇淑也加入了批评行列，她在社交媒体上写道：“电影和电视剧正不断沦为传递党派信息的工具。”

自9月上映以来，《刺客》一直处于争议的中心，人民力量党（PPP）议员指责该片歪曲历史，要求其制作团队接受议会审计，同时还呼吁取消该片作为海外电影节开幕影片的放映，禁止其在国内上映，并没收该片的收益。

攻击甚至波及到了演员。上个月，保守团体成员在电视剧《刺客》主演柳海真家门外举行抗议活动；而电视剧《Doctor X》主演金智媛也遭受了恶意的网络评论。

左起分别为电影《出租车司机》（2017）和KBS电视剧《五月青春》（2021）的海报，两部作品均以5·18民主化运动为背景 / 图片由Showbox和KBS提供

文化内容的政治化

许多观察人士指出，目前针对以韩国现代史为题材的电影和电视剧的政治攻击程度前所未有。《刺客》讲述的柳被枪杀事件，此前已被多家主流电视台的调查节目多次报道。五一八事件也曾是多部热门作品的主题，例如1995年的电视剧《沙漏》、2021年的电视剧《五月的青春》以及2017年的电影《出租车司机》。然而，这些作品并未遭遇如此强烈的抵制。

分析人士表示，人们对这类作品的反应变化与政治变化密切相关。

“过去政治争端大多围绕着广泛的、宏观的议题展开意识形态斗争，而如今，这些斗争则通过微观话语和日常文化话语进行，”忠南国立大学韩国语言文学教授尹锡镇表示。“尤其是保守派阵营，似乎正在发动一场文化战争，试图以此摆脱其持续不断的政治危机。”

尹锡悦将这些袭击描述为“一场通过文化进行的政治斗争的第一枪”。

另一种解释是，这些袭击利用了一种代际现象，即过去悲惨历史的记忆和教训没有充分传达给年轻一代。

“保守势力正将韩国现代史的内容转化为政治工具，以扩大其在年轻人中的影响力，而年轻人对民主化历史的了解和敏感度相对有限，”大众文化评论家金宪植表示。“将5月18日这场屠杀平民的事件政治化，并以此恐吓他人，是历史意识的倒退。”

10月6日，在庆尚北道龟尾市一家电影院外，一个市民团体举行集会，呼吁停止放映电影《刺客》。CGV龟尾影院当天起暂停放映该片。（韩联社）

民间团体也表达了担忧。“人民参与民主团结组织”周四发表声明，指责人民进步党不仅利用艺术自由，还利用公众享受文化的权利，将其作为政治斗争的工具，以达到赢得选票、巩固支持基础、加深政治敌对情绪以及吸引媒体关注等目的。

民主社会律师协会文化艺术和体育委员会也在周五发表声明，谴责针对“刺客”的政治攻击，称其“无异于黑名单的回归，是通过公共权力和集体恐吓的结合而复活的”。

在电视剧《Doctor X：白衣黑手党》中，五一八民主运动的受害者吴尚范（河成光饰​​，右）看到了在运动中被军队杀害的哥哥的幻影。图片由SBS提供。

媒体责任与历史事实

媒体对这些争议的报道方式也受到了审视。批评人士认为，将5月18日的起义描述为“争议”，​​同时不加批判地转述保守派的说法，实际上助长了极右翼言论的传播，尽管军方屠杀平民的行为在法律和历史上都已确凿无疑。

“媒体将极右翼团体毫无根据的言论贴上‘争议’的标签，并给予他们在公共话语中发声的空间，这是一个严重的问题，”流行文化评论家金成洙说道。

人们也越来越担心，文化的不加区分的政治化可能会损害整个文化产业。

金宪植表示：“人们有权表达对创作作品的意见，但我们必须警惕那些扭曲市场的行为，例如呼吁停止播出或放映，以及试图恐吓创作者。如果这种情况持续下去，以现代史为题材的作品将难以取得质的进步。最终，这类内容或许别无选择，只能转移到Netflix等平台，因为在那里它们受国内政治压力的影响较小。”

本文来自《韩国日报》（《韩国时报》的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。