First official screening held at Roy Thomson Hall — all 4,256 seats across four public screenings sold out

The Assassin(s) poster <Hive Media Corp>

Hur Jin-ho's The Assassin(s) held its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. The first official screening took place on September 16 local time at Roy Thomson Hall, the festival's main venue. Hur Jin-ho walked the red carpet ahead of the screening alongside Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. 

Four public screenings of The Assassin(s) were scheduled over the course of the festival, and all 4,256 seats sold out. A press screening was held ahead of the official premiere, and international reviews began appearing after that screening. 

A Manhunt for the Missing Shots of 1974 — Response from International Press and the Festival

The Assassin(s) is a mystery thriller built around the shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo on August 15, 1974. The film takes as its starting point a single unresolved question: six shots were fired at the scene, yet only four bullets were recovered. Pursuing the two rounds absent from the official record are three fictional characters. Yoo Hae-jin plays Cheol-gu, the detective who was responsible for security at the scene; Park Hae-il plays Jae-hwan, a newspaper city desk editor; and Lee Min-ho plays Young-il, a rookie reporter who witnessed the incident first-hand. 

Following the press screening, international outlets focused on the film's genre momentum and its timeliness. One outlet noted how Hur had translated the 1974 incident into a taut genre piece, describing it as a "gripping, propulsive thriller." Another characterised the film as a story that draws its force from its contemporary relevance. 

The festival itself also responded. Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer of the Toronto International Film Festival, called it a truly successful world premiere, noting that the audience stayed silent and fixed on the screen throughout the screening, and that praise for the film continued among viewers as they left the theatre. 

Hur Jin-ho Returns to Toronto After Dangerous Liaisons and A Normal Family 

Hur Jin-ho returns to the Toronto International Film Festival with this film after Dangerous Liaisons in 2012 and A Normal Family in 2023. The works that established his name were melodramas such as Christmas in August (1998) and One Fine Spring Day (2001). His range has since widened, moving through the mystery of A Normal Family to this fact-based procedural. He also reunites with Park Hae-il, following The Last Princess (2016). 

The Assassin(s) opened in Korean theatres on September 23, after its official Toronto screening.Hur Jin-ho is reported to have the drama series Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid forthcoming. 

Sources

• The Seoul Shinmun, “I Wanted to Portray Those Who Held to Their Convictions in an Age of Violence” — The Assassin(s) Director Hur Jin-ho [Interview], 2026.09.15

• Etoday, The Assassin(s) Draws Praise in Toronto: “A Gripping, Propulsive Thriller”, 2026.09.15

• Money Today, The Assassin(s) Showered with Acclaim After First Toronto Screening: “Korea’s Finest Newsroom Thriller”, 2026.09.17

• SPOTV News, “As Flawless as a Slam Dunk” — The Assassin(s) Sets the Toronto International Film Festival Alight at Its World Premiere, 2026.09.18