Megabox apologized over a controversy surrounding promotional merchandise for the film "Assassins" and said it will destroy all remaining copies.
The theater chain posted an apology on its official Instagram account on Oct. 4, saying it was addressing "the issue of the 'Assassins' original ticket." The company said it had "failed to fully grasp the gravity and weight of a historical tragedy and a devastating incident." It added, "We sincerely apologize to those who felt uncomfortable and to those who suffered pain at the time of the incident."
Megabox explained that the original ticket was produced based on limited images provided through consultations with the film's distributor and production company, because the tight release schedule left the employees in charge unable to watch the film in advance. The company said it had sought to highlight the film's character and content using scenes and posters from the movie, but had not sufficiently considered the weight of the historical event.
Most of the original tickets at the center of the controversy were handed out on the day of the film's release. Megabox said it would not distribute any of the remaining copies and would destroy them all, and that it would establish internal procedures to review the social and ethical implications of merchandise dealing with historical events or figures.
The original tickets, which Megabox had given out free to moviegoers, drew criticism because they included a bullet mark evoking the scene in which former first lady Yuk Young-soo was shot. Some internet users criticized the design, saying that when a transparent overlay was placed on the ticket, a bullet hole appeared at the position of the figure depicting Yuk.
Criticism also came from politicians. Lee Ki-in, chair of the New Reform Party's emergency committee, said the design appeared to make the audience complete the shooting scene themselves, while People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo called the item "depraved merchandise" and demanded its immediate destruction and an apology.
