Hwang Jung-min and Jo In-sung Bring Mysterious Vibes in First Look at ‘Hope’ via Cannes Film Festival

The first glimpse of ‘Hope,’ one of the most anticipated films of 2026, has finally arrived!

On the 10th (KST), the Cannes Film Festival released a short clip of ‘Hope,’ which has been invited to this year’s Competition section, via its official website.

The clip, lasting about 1 minute and 31 seconds, begins with Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hopo Port branch office, and a local youth named Seong-gi (Jo In-sung) responding to reports of a tiger sighting.

Seong-gi points toward a faint shape in the middle of the road, saying, “Hyung-nim, it’s over there,” while Beom-seok stares at the road, responding, “Is it just lying dead in the middle of the road?”

Beom-seok then questions a group of local youths about the rifles they are carrying. After they explain the guns were reported, Beom-seok orders, “Come to the office later with those guns.”

While the identity of “that thing” they are staring at remains a mystery in the clip, the tension is palpable. The video is more than enough to get fans excited for the first-ever pairing of Hwang Jung-min and Jo In-sung.

Although the exact time period isn’t specified, the police car and Beom-seok’s uniform suggest the story takes place in the past.

‘Hope’ tells the story of Beom-seok, the head of the Hopo Port branch office located in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). After hearing reports of a tiger’s appearance, the entire village goes on high alert, leading to an unbelievable reality. This is director Na Hong-jin’s first new work in 10 years, following ‘The Chaser,’ ‘The Yellow Sea,’ and ‘The Wailing.’ The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander.

The film will compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which opens on May 12.

Thierry Frémont, the General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, praised ‘Hope’ upon inviting it to the Competition section, stating, “It is a work that constantly crosses genres throughout its running time of over two hours. It captures a slice of history that has never been dealt with before.”

With a runtime of 160 minutes, ‘Hope’ is the longest film directed by Na Hong-jin. After its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, it is set to be released domestically this summer.