Na Hong-jin’s New Film “Hope” Sets a Record as Top Korean Movie Sells in More Than 200 Countries Before Release

〈Hope〉 was setting new records even before its release.

〈Hope〉 is the latest work by director Na Hong-jin, who previously directed 〈The Chaser〉, 〈Hwanghae〉, and 〈哭聲〉, and it was invited to the competition section at last year's Cannes International Film Festival. After completing its screening at Cannes, 〈Hope〉 said it was sold in advance to more than 200 countries and regions worldwide on May 29. In particular, the deal price is the highest for a Korean film on record, and it is known that the film could recoup about half of its net production cost based on overseas pre-sales alone.

In addition, 〈Hope〉 is said to have been handled for distribution by a number of companies: Neon (NEON), which helped build its standing by introducing 〈Parasite〉 to North America; MUBI, which took distribution across Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Türkiye and across Latin America; and Focus Features and Universal Pictures International France, which handled distribution across France and the Benelux three countries and South Africa. Industry observers say that as various companies have contracted to distribute the film, banking on its box-office prospects, attention has already turned to what kind of results 〈Hope〉 will deliver under a “minimum guarantee” deal structure in which overseas release performance is shared.

〈Hope〉 begins after Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min), an office manager stationed at the port in the Demilitarized Zone, hears from local young people that a tiger has appeared. With the entire village thrown into emergency mode, the story kicks off when the crew encounters an unbelievable reality. The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jeong Ho-yeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender. It arrives in Korean theaters in July.