Na Hong-jin’s New Work ‘Hope’ Spotted in Hong Kong as 19-Day Festival Opener Reveals Itself

Na Hong-jin’s New Work ‘Hope’ Captured in Hong Kong… It’s Set to Be Revealed as the Festival Opener on the 19th

A Master Class Held Locally on the 20th and a Special Screening of 10 Early Films by Hong Sang-soo Run at the Same Time

The Return of a Master—‘Hope’ Makes Its Debut, Capturing Asia ‘Hope’

Director Na Hong-jin’s new work ‘Hope’, a standout in Korean genre filmmaking, finally opens its account on the Asian stage. On the 18th, the Joong-?Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong officially announced that ‘Hope’ was selected as the opener of the ‘2026 Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival’, running from the 19th to the 31st. The cultural center said it will provide full support as a core partner of the festival, not only for screenings but also for hosting an in-depth master class.

Widely seen as the biggest buzz of this festival, ‘Hope’ will be given just two special screenings at the Hong Kong premiere at the Elements Theater on the 19th. That day, Na Hong-jin plans to attend the screening venue in person to share an energetic first greeting with local film fans.

Beyond the Thrill of ‘The Wailing’, Na Hong-jin’s Directing World the Rest of the World Watches Closely

The excitement of the opener screening carries into the next day. On the 20th, at the same theater, after a special screening of the previous work ‘The Wailing’ that sparked a global craze, Na Hong-jin’s ‘Master Class’ will take place. At the event, he is expected to deliver a dense discussion of his own distinctive directing philosophy and the world of his works.

Meanwhile, the 2026 Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival shines a spotlight on the standing of Korean cinema from multiple angles. A concurrent ‘Special Retrospective of Hong Sang-soo’s Early Works’ will also be held, featuring a total of 10 masterpieces—including debut film ‘The Day a Pig Fell into the Well’—as well as ‘Strength of Gangwon Province’, ‘Turf War’, ‘Oki’s Movie’, and ‘Our Sun-hee’, which are set to light up local audiences’ screens.