With only 1,700 soundtracks, an SF film created by Na Hong-jin's obsession

1,700 Soundtracks for a Single Scene: The World Crafted by Na Hong-jin's Perfectionism

To ensure the perfection of the film 'HOPE', Director Na Hong-jin stayed in the mixing room until just before the release. He was so obsessed with sound that a single scene could contain as many as 1,700 individual soundtracks. During an interview, Na shared his struggles, saying, "Even in the mixing room, they were telling me to stop coming," yet he showed a side of himself that wouldn't be satisfied until he personally verified even a single drop of blood on a creature's finger.

This work has drawn industry attention since the production stage, as it is known to have the largest production budget in Korean film history. Mentioning the stress of the planning stage, Na jokingly remarked, "I wonder why I did this when I could have just put masks on people and called it a day." The physical and psychological energy poured into the sophisticated implementation of the creatures was immense.

Through this work, Na tells the story of 'a higher existence.' While 'The Wailing' dealt with supernatural phenomena, 'HOPE' expands into the themes of the universe and aliens. He defined the genre boundaries, stating, "It's difficult to call it SF, and it's also awkward to call them aliens due to their visuals. It is more accurate to view it as a creature film."

Hwang Jung-min's Naturalistic Acting and Jo In-sung & Jung Ho-yeon's Physical Action

The actors' performances support the massive SF worldview. Na revealed that he could take a huge gamble thanks to Hwang Jung-min, calling him "an actor you have no choice but to trust." Hwang's character, 'Beom-seok,' is the head of the Hopohang branch in the DMZ, serving as the narrator who draws the audience's attention from the beginning to the end of the film. He brought realism to the character through his signature naturalistic acting and manner of speech.

From the midpoint onward, Jo In-sung's presence overwhelms the play. Playing the village youth 'Seong-gi,' Jo In-sung is a character with a strong will to survive, contrary to his rough appearance. In particular, the action using long guns and the horseback riding scenes racing across the plains vividly demonstrate his physicality. These scenes, unfolding amidst a twilight landscape, evoke the feeling of a Western.

Jung Ho-yeon took on the role of 'Seong-ae,' the only female character in the film. She takes center stage, handling skillful long-gun action and car chases. The performances of the supporting actors are also noteworthy. Lee Sang-hee played 'Nak-yeon' with realistic wit, and Um Moon-seok played 'Mok-su' with a mysterious charm. The unexpected gun action shown by the villagers adds to the film's enjoyment.

From the Closed Space of Hopohang to the Primeval Forests of Romania

The film's setting gains dimensionality through the organic connection of spaces. The initial setting, Hopohang, features narrow alleys, houses, ports, and mountain paths intertwined like a single ecosystem. As the camera follows Beom-seok through the village, car chases and pursuits unfold through narrow paths. The implementation, making the entire village seem to move like a living organism, is the result of Na's meticulous effort.

After the midpoint, the stage moves to the vast primeval forests of Romania. The dense forest approaches as an unknown space, visually revealing that humans are helpless beings before massive nature. The film has a narrative of 2 hours and 36 minutes, varying through three parts. Critic Lee Dong-jin described the film as "a massive crescendo that boldly races through a bizarre mess."

The fact that the aliens' appearance overlaps with the faces of human actors, and that the human narrative assigned to the aliens in the latter half might dilute the density of horror, are points that may divide audience opinions. Nevertheless, the overwhelming scale and the exploration of human survival instincts provide a reason why this film must be experienced in a theater.

The Glory of Cannes and the Chemistry of the Actors Shown on 'Pinggyego'

The film 'HOPE' was recognized for its quality by being invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The actors appeared on the YouTube channel 'DdeunDdeun's' 'Pinggyego' to reveal behind-the-scenes stories from the Cannes Film Festival. Jung Ho-yeon recalled how Hwang Jung-min personally styled his curly hair for the Cannes dinner, saying, "I thought the character from the movie had come back to life."

Hwang Jung-min humorously addressed the gap between his character in the film and his real self. Regarding his character's distinct red skin tone, he joked, "The makeup was almost at the level of special effects." Jo In-sung showed his wit when he was recommended as the English speaker for overseas filming but declined, saying, "When I go abroad, I'm the type to be quiet and angry."

While boasting of their teamwork on set, the actors showed a "real sibling" dynamic in their daily lives. 'HOPE,' where the massive worldview designed by Director Na Hong-jin meets the energy of the actors, will meet audiences on the 15th.

Theatrical Release and Untact Cinema Talk Schedule

The film 'HOPE' will be released in theaters on the 15th. CGV has selected 'HOPE' as the 29th installment of 'Lee Dong-jin's Untact Talk' to be held on the 11th and 12th. For this screening, an exclusive conversation video between Director Na Hong-jin and critic Lee Dong-jin will be released for approximately 105 minutes after the film ends.

Director Na Hong-jin's Genre Dilemmas and the Global Market

Ahead of the release, Director Na Hong-jin expressed his concerns regarding the direction of genre films. He stated, "I felt that films now must shift their axis toward pure genre works," adding, "I thought it might be dangerous if we don't create new markets beyond just looking at the domestic market."

Regarding the nature of the work, he added, "Rather than saying it's focused on the global market, it's more accurate to call it a genre piece. It might be a bit unfamiliar to the public who expect a film with a typical Korean movie structure. I'm nervous about how that part will be received."