Na Hong-jin's Hope races past 1 million as Jung Ho-yeon debuts

Surpasses 1 Million Viewers in 3 Days, Breaking the Shortest Record of the Year

Director Na Hong-jin's fourth feature film, 'Hope,' is leading the box office immediately following its release. As of 12:00 PM on the 17th, the film surpassed 1 million cumulative viewers, breaking the record for the fastest achievement this year. Both the 600,000 advance tickets sold before release and the 330,000 viewers on the first day stand as the highest figures of the year. As of the 18th, cumulative viewers reached 1,220,505, with domestic revenue exceeding 13.5 billion won.

According to data from the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network on the 18th, 'Hope' secured 2,386 screens nationwide. It recorded a screen occupancy of 36.1%, a screening occupancy of 53.7%, a seat occupancy of 59.0%, and a seat sales rate of 46.7%. The film currently maintains the number one spot at the box office, and as of the 17th, the real-time reservation rate was recorded in the 55% range.

Jung Ho-yeon's Screen Debut as Police Officer 'Seong-ae'

Set in a village near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the 1980s, the film depicts the desperate struggle between residents and an alien that has crash-landed over a period of 156 minutes. Jung Ho-yeon, known for 'Squid Game,' makes her screen debut in this work playing the role of police officer 'Seong-ae.'

Speaking to reporters in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the 8th, Jung Ho-yeon remarked, "If there is any similarity between myself and Seong-ae, it is an untiring persistence." She added that at the suggestion of director Na Hong-jin, she performed with her voice one tone higher than her usual pitch. During the film's invitation to the 79th Cannes International Film Festival competition category, the moment that first drew applause from the local audience was Seong-ae's first appearance. The scene where Seong-ae appears in a police car in front of branch manager Beom-seok (played by Hwang Jung-min) and begins chasing the monster while firing an M16 assault rifle was completed after more than 20 retakes during actual filming.

The Connection with Director Na Hong-jin Sparked by Hwang Jung-min's Recommendation

The connection between Jung Ho-yeon and director Na Hong-jin began with a recommendation from actor Hwang Jung-min. Na met Jung through Hwang, and the two engaged in conversation for over two hours. Na concluded that Jung was someone who naturally possessed the qualities of the character Seong-ae, and Jung received the script on the very same day she had a meal with Na.

In the film, Seong-ae is a character fighting a life-and-death battle against aliens in a village with fierce anti-communist sentiments. Na Hong-jin sought to project various aspects of humanity through the characters, capturing human goodwill through Seong-ae. International critics cheered the film's genre-driven thrills. The American entertainment publication Variety praised Jung Ho-yeon's acting, and director Bong Joon-ho commented on the film, saying, "It is a movie where spirit and madness, never seen anywhere else, explode."