We got a first look at ‘HOPE’, which has been unveiled to the world for the first time!
On May 17 (local time), the Korean film ‘HOPE’ (directed by Na Hong-jin), which entered the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, finally revealed itself.
‘HOPE’ begins with Beom-seok (played by Hwang Jung-min), the chief of the Hopo-hang office located in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). After hearing news from local youths about a tiger appearing, the entire village goes on high alert, leading to an unbelievable reality.
Director Na Hong-jin returns to the screen after 10 years since ‘The Wailing’. Following the crime thrillers ‘The Chaser’ and ‘The Yellow Sea’, and the horror thriller ‘The Wailing’, he is back with an SF thriller that no one could have imagined.
A Challenge Korea Needed
With only rumors about the production cost circulating and zero spoilers or information, we encountered ‘HOPE’ at the Grand Théâtre Lumière in Cannes. Having only known the synopsis about tiger rumors, ‘HOPE’ delivers a narrative beyond imagination.
Set in Hopo-hang, a small village near the DMZ, Beom-seok receives a report that a cow has been found brutally killed on the road.
The reporters are local youths. Seong-gi (played by Jo In-sung), who enjoys hunting, tells Beom-seok that rumors are spreading about a tiger coming down from the mountains.
Beom-seok initially doesn’t believe them, claiming he’s never heard such rumors, but he gradually begins to believe.
The village turns into chaos, and buildings are pierced as if someone passed right through them. Gruesome sights of the dead appear, and villagers fire guns wildly at an invisible entity.
After requesting support from his junior officer, Seong-ae, Beom-seok eventually faces the entity that caused such terror.
The Cannes audience experiences the horror by following Beom-seok’s breathing, without knowing the identity of the fear-inducing entity. For a long time, the identity remains hidden. It’s either hidden until the end or reveals something that shocks everyone.
Director Na Hong-jin boldly avoids the cliché of keeping the audience guessing and properly reveals the entity. Visuals rarely seen in Korean cinema appear, and it feels fresh.
The familiar faces of Hwang Jung-min and Jo In-sung are projected into the SF world drawn by Na Hong-jin. It almost feels as if the two actors are starring in a Hollywood movie.
As a result, imagery previously unseen in Korea was born. Unrealistic lush forests, mysterious beings, and a meeting of an era that is neither present nor far past. Director Na Hong-jin’s challenge, refusing the easy path, was exactly what Korea needed.
A True Masterpiece
‘HOPE’ has garnered intense interest since production due to rumors of it having the highest production cost in Korean cinema history. There were even rumors that the break-even point was 20 million viewers.
Regarding this, Director Na Hong-jin clarified in an interview at Cannes, saying, “20 million? With that kind of money, I’d buy a studio,” explaining that the figures do not reach the rumored production costs.
Set in a friendly Korean neighborhood, ‘HOPE’ features CG that brings ‘Avatar’ to mind. Additionally, the film features a golden cast that has drawn global attention, with Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton appearing as aliens. Since the fact that they play aliens was kept secret until nearly the end, the Cannes audience was completely shocked.
Beyond the exceptional CG technology, Director Na Hong-jin’s obsession is evident in the filming locations and art direction.
Specifically, the village in ‘HOPE’ captures a real village in Haenam, Jeollanam-do. It is reported that filming was conducted by placing signs over a village where residents actually live, adding art elements to actual stores to create the chaos, and then restoring them to their original state. This is why the village battle scene, which appears for a significant duration, felt so real.
Even though it’s a return after 10 years, Director Na’s comment about having no time because he was working is convincing, as his obsession is visible in every scene. The hard work of the actors, who performed high-difficulty action by actually riding horses and using wires without dummies, is also palpable. Regardless of the money, it is truly a masterpiece.
Understanding the International Reaction
‘HOPE’ is an entertaining film with a fast pace, chase action, and moments that bring unexpected laughter in urgent situations.
The fact that ‘HOPE’ entered the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, where artistic films with quiet charms usually dominate, is a bold move that international media couldn’t help but notice.
After the unveiling of ‘HOPE’, international media expressed interest with varying evaluations. Various outlets such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline praised the action, filming techniques, and design of ‘HOPE’.
Evaluations range from calling it the ultimate entertainment movie to stating that it has a unique presence among the competition invitees, waking up a dormant Cannes Film Festival. On the other hand, some reactions expressed bewilderment, with opinions voicing disappointment over the CG or questioning the narrative in the latter half.
However, one thing is certain: the reaction to ‘HOPE’ is hot. The presence of ‘HOPE’, which has become a star among prestigious invitees, is raising the status of Korean cinema at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, differing from last year.
Some may be bewildered, and some may be enthusiastic. But ultimately, movies must show something new. ‘HOPE’ is a true challenge that has appeared after a long time.
