Lee Min-ho Brings 'The Assassin(s)' to TIFF 2026, Wins Runner-Up Audience Award

Korean actor Lee Min-ho brought his new film "The Assassin(s)" to the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, where all of its screening sold out. The film, directed by Hur Jin-ho, opened in Korean theaters on Sept. 23.

"The Assassin(s)" is a period thriller set around the Aug. 15, 1974, assassination attempt of South Korea's First Lady. The story follows the suspicions and hidden forces behind the case. Lee Min-ho plays Yeong-il, a rookie reporter on the social affairs desk at the fictional Dongseong Ilbo newspaper. Yeong-il witnesses the incident and starts chasing the truth.

The film had its world premiere on Sept. 16 local time as part of TIFF's Gala Presentations, one of the festival's most closely watched showcase sections. Lee Min-ho walked the red carpet and attended public screenings, meeting fans in Toronto.

All 4,256 seats across the film's festival screenings sold out. International outlets and local audiences responded positively to the film after the premiere, and "The Assassin(s)" was named the runner-up for the International People's Choice Award.

Lee Min-ho also headlined an "In Conversation With…" session, a signature TIFF talk program featuring a select group of international artists. Tickets sold out as soon as pre-sales opened on Sept. 17 local time. During the session, he spoke about the challenges of playing Yeong-il, his approach to acting, and his relationship with fans.

He returned for a second public screening and a post-film Q&A. Along with talking about the film, he invited a fan onto the stage and turned the questions back to the audience, keeping the conversation going throughout the session.

Lee Min-ho's global reach remains strong. In the "2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey" released in March by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, he ranked as the most preferred Korean actor among Hallyu fans worldwide for the 13th year in a row. He has never lost the top spot since the survey began.

With his Toronto run finished, Lee Min-ho now turns to Korean audiences. "The Assassin(s)" is now playing in theaters nationwide.