After knee surgery, Zo In Sung braves Hope’s asphalt horse chase

Zo In Sung chooses Na Hong-jin despite knee surgery warnings

Actor Zo In Sung has revealed the hardships he faced during the filming process of director Na Hong-jin's new film, 'Hope.' In this production, Zo plays 'Seong-gi,' a hunter and the leader of the village youths.

Prior to filming, Zo was recovering from cartilage surgery and had been advised by medical professionals to refrain from jumping or intense movements. To ensure the quality of the work, Zo shared his physical condition with director Na Hong-jin without reservation. In response, Na supported Zo's decision, stating there would be no issues proceeding with the shoot.

"We definitely take at least 100 takes" — Na Hong-jin's perfectionist set

Director Na Hong-jin's film sets are known for being uncompromising. Zo approached the filming with a personal vow: "It never gets an 'okay' on the first try. We will definitely go for at least 100 takes."

The intensity of the set continued even during unexpected situations. When it began to snow during filming, the staff and actors had to remain on set until the snow had completely melted. Zo recalled the waiting period—spent covered in blood-soaked special effects makeup while waiting for the snow to melt—as a "roll call," noting that such a process was necessary to produce an overwhelming final result.

High-difficulty equestrian action on asphalt and filming in Romania

The horse-riding scenes, one of the major action sequences in 'Hope,' were the greatest challenge for Zo In Sung. To portray his character's skilled equestrian abilities, Zo performed dangerous stunts. In particular, the technique of standing on one foot while riding a horse boasted a level of difficulty that even professional stunt teams found surprising.

Filming on location in Romania also presented harsh conditions. The team had to control local horses, which had different temperaments than Korean horses, and the chase scenes—racing at 25–30 km/h on slippery asphalt—created extreme tension.

Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hope,' starring Hwang Jung-min as Beom-seok, is scheduled for theatrical release on the 15th of this month.