Actor Yoo Hae-jin Given Police Protection and Emergency Smartwatch Amid Protests Over Historical Film Controversy
Key Points
- Police granted personal protection measures, including an emergency smartwatch and increased patrols, to actor Yoo Hae-jin following threats over his film 'The Assassin(s)'.
- Protesters have gathered outside Yoo's private home, the production company, and corporate sponsor Burger King, demanding the movie's cancellation and public apologies.
- Law enforcement emphasized strict legal responses against any threats or intimidation toward the actor while closely monitoring the demonstrations.
Summary South Korean police have initiated personal protection measures for veteran actor Yoo Hae-jin following escalating protests and online threats sparked by historical distortion allegations surrounding his upcoming film, tentatively titled 'The Assassin(s)' (암살자(들)).
According to the Seoul Seongbuk Police Station, safety protocols were activated after Yoo's management agency submitted a formal protection request. In response, police issued Yoo an emergency smartwatch equipped with a direct distress signal to law enforcement, registered his profile in the emergency 112 dispatch system, and significantly stepped up patrols around his private residence in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. While dedicated bodyguards were not assigned, authorities emphasized that protective measures are deployed proactively when potential risks arise, not solely after harm occurs.
The heightened security measures follow days of intense demonstrations by conservative activist groups, including Sin Jayu Yeondae and Belle Epoque (Bellado). Protesters gathered directly outside Yoo's home demanding that the film's theatrical release be canceled and that both the production team and cast issue a public apology to the nation. The backlash also spilled over into corporate boycott campaigns; demonstrators staged a rally outside the headquarters of Burger King in Jongno-gu, where Yoo serves as an advertising model, chanting slogans declaring the burger chain and the actor "accomplices" and calling for a nationwide boycott. Another group, the Patriotic Shield Coalition, picketed outside the production company Hive Media Corp.
Addressing the controversy, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Koh Beom-seok noted that authorities will strictly manage protests within legal boundaries and enforce stringent legal action against any acts of intimidation or direct harm toward the actor, with additional security steps prepared should threats escalate further.
Sponsored · Ad