According to the integrated ticket booking system of the Korea Film Council (KOFIC), as of the morning of July 5, "Hope" (tentatively translated: Hope) topped the pre-booked ticket rankings with 27.8% market share, surpassing many works preparing to be released at the same time.
The film is directed by Na Hong Jin, marking her return after the success of works such as "The Huntsman", "The Yellow Sea" and "The Wailing".
Hope" is set in Hopo port, located near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The story begins when police chief Bum Seok (Hwang Jung Min) and local people, including Sung Ki (Jo In Sung), receive a report about a tiger appearing in the village. From there, the whole village falls into a state of emergency when facing an unimaginable truth.
Besides Hwang Jung Min and Jo In Sung, the film also stars Jung Ho Yeon and an international cast including Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Cameron Britton.
Previously, "Hope" was invited to participate in the competition category at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, and also set a record as the Korean film with the highest international copyright selling price, with more than 200 countries and territories buying distribution rights before screening.
With the leading record in pre-booked tickets and interest from the international market, "Hope" is being considered one of the most notable films this summer. The film is scheduled to premiere from July 15 in Korea.
