Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' surpasses 2.12 million after 5 days of release

Director Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hope' has taken the theaters by storm immediately upon its release. Set in the Hopo Port of the Demilitarized Zone, the film recorded the highest opening score in Na Hong-jin's filmography, drawing 330,000 viewers on its first day. The box office momentum saw it surpass 1 million viewers just three days after release, and by the 20th, the fifth day, it claimed the top spot at the box office with a cumulative audience of 2,129,720. This pace is identical to this year's hit 'Gunche'.

The film tells the story of Beom-seok (played by Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hapo Port branch office in the DMZ, who receives reports from village youths about the appearance of a tiger. The cast includes domestic and international actors such as Hwang Jung-min, Zo In Sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton. This work, which entered the competition at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival and received a seven-minute standing ovation, was watched by 1,504,013 people during its first three days of release.

Audience Reactions to Visuals and Narrative

While box office indicators show a steep upward trend, audience evaluations are divided. Viewers captivated by the visual beauty and sound implemented by cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo commented, "This is a movie that shows why one must go to the theater even in the OTT era." Thanks to the passionate performances of the actors and the unpredictable plot, repeat viewings are continuing, centered around various types of special theaters.

On the other hand, there are voices pointing out the film's structural approach. Along with a running time of over 160 minutes, some responded that they felt a sense of emptiness after the ending due to insufficient explanations regarding the foreshadowing or settings. While some prefer Na Hong-jin's characteristic open endings, there are also opinions that the narrative is unfriendly. Opinions are also divided over the humor that breaks the tension of the play, the visuals of the alien life forms, and the quality of the VFX (Visual Effects). Some viewers praised it as a "fresh and realistic design," while others said, "The quality is somewhat disappointing compared to expectations" and "There were moments that broke the immersion."

Box Office Rankings and Reservation Status

According to the results from the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network for film ticket sales on the 20th, 'Hope' maintained its number one position for five consecutive days, drawing 397,015 viewers the previous day and recording 4.40529 billion won in revenue. The second place was taken by the new release 'MINIONS & MONSTERS'. This work, which depicts James Henry Edgar's adventure to find monsters, drew 308,576 viewers during the same period, recording a cumulative audience of 374,785. 'MINIONS & MONSTERS' is the third story in the 'Minions' series, which is a prequel and spin-off of 'Despicable Me'.

Third place was taken by Disney's live-action version of 'Moana'. 'Moana' met 173,555 viewers last weekend, recording a cumulative audience of 772,104. This was followed by 'Toy Story 5' with 114,718 viewers and 'The Eyes' with 70,565 viewers, taking 4th and 5th place respectively.

The reservation market is being led by upcoming releases. 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day', releasing on the 29th, rose to first place with a real-time reservation rate of 48.3% (235,746 people) nine days before its release. 'Hope' ranked second at 26.9% (131,313 people), and director Christopher Nolan's new film 'Odyssey' ranked third at 14.0% (68,033 people).