By Lee Minji
The highly anticipated Korean sci-fi epic, “Hope,” which garnered attention at this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival, is making waves as one of the most expensive productions in Korean cinema history. This star-studded film boasts a formidable cast, featuring Korean superstars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, alongside Hollywood luminaries Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.
Marking director Na Hong-jin’s eagerly awaited return a decade after his acclaimed film “The Wailing” (2016), “Hope” plunges audiences into the remote coastal town of Hopo. The narrative follows local police officers and villagers as their lives are dramatically upended by a series of escalating events following encounters with powerful and mysterious extraterrestrial beings.
With immense hype surrounding “Hope” and Na Hong-jin’s proven track record for box office success – “The Wailing” drew 6.9 million admissions, and “The Chaser” (2008) attracted 5 million – expectations are soaring for the film to deliver a much-needed boost to the struggling local Korean box office.
The Korean film industry has faced significant hurdles since the COVID-19 pandemic, including a sharp decline in moviegoers, escalating production costs, weakening investment capital, and the growing dominance of global streaming platforms.
Prior to the pandemic, annual theater admissions in South Korea, encompassing both Korean and foreign films, consistently surpassed 200 million, peaking at a record 227 million in 2019, according to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). This figure dramatically plummeted to just 60 million in 2020.
While admissions have shown a recovery, exceeding 100 million annually since 2022, only a select few Korean films have managed to surpass the 10-million admission benchmark for major commercial success in recent years. These include the acclaimed supernatural thriller “Exhuma” (2024), successful sequels to the popular action-crime film franchise “The Roundup” (2022-2024), and the historical action thriller “12.12: The Day” (2023).
In South Korea, achieving 10 million ticket sales is widely recognized as the definitive indicator of significant commercial success for a film.
Fortunately for “Hope,” the current Korean box office landscape appears more robust than it has in years, buoyed by the unexpected and remarkable success of the historical drama “The King’s Warden” (2026).
Hailed by the culture minister as “a faint glimmer of hope and a warm blessing” for the local film industry, “The King’s Warden” astonishingly racked up 16.9 million admissions, securing its place as the second most-watched Korean movie in history.
Following this success, the number of moviegoers for Korean films saw a substantial 75 percent year-on-year increase, reaching 37.4 million admissions in the first half of the year, according to KOFIC data.
Yeon Sang-ho’s gripping zombie thriller “Colony” (2026) further extended this positive momentum, drawing 5.9 million admissions to date, signaling a continued resurgence for Korean cinema.
As its release approaches, “Hope” appears exceptionally poised for a strong opening, generating significant buzz among film enthusiasts and industry insiders.
The film achieved a new record for a Korean production by being pre-sold to approximately 200 territories worldwide. Domestically, this highly anticipated sci-fi epic commanded 65 percent of all advance ticket sales as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, with an impressive 476,129 tickets already sold.
Adding another tailwind for the film’s success is the government’s movie ticket coupon program. Last week, the culture ministry, in collaboration with KOFIC, distributed some 2 million discount coupons as part of ongoing national efforts to boost theater attendance and revitalize the film sector.
While the pressure on “Hope” to be a true game-changer for the Korean film industry is considerable, its potential to weather the prolonged industry downturn and leave a lasting mark on Korean cinema remains high. For now, the sentiment is overwhelmingly optimistic.
“The trumpet vine is said to symbolize the spirit of ‘despite it all,’ because it is said to bloom through monsoon rains and even typhoons,” Zo In-sung, one of the lead actors in “Hope,” shared with reporters when asked about the film’s prospects and the surrounding anticipation. “There are many challenges to overcome, but I hope the film will blossom in the hearts of audiences, just as the flower does. That is what I hope for.”
