[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Director Na Hong-jin’s new film “HOPE” is generating buzz at the box office even before its release. Following recognition for its artistic merit through an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival’s main competition, the film has topped the advance ticket sales charts, solidifying its status as this summer’s most anticipated release.

According to the Integrated Movie Ticket Network on the 4th, “HOPE” ranked first in overall advance ticket sales as of 3:43 p.m. that day. With its release scheduled for the 15th, the film reached the top of the advance ticket sales chart 11 days before its release, marking the fastest ascent to number one among this year’s releases.
This achievement carries significance beyond mere advance ticket sales figures. In the pre-release market, where major franchises and series typically dominate, it is considered an unusual development for a purely original Korean film to claim the top spot in overall advance ticket sales with more than ten days remaining before its release. Analysts suggest that audience curiosity about a film that has long been shrouded in mystery is translating into actual ticket purchases.
“Hope” is the new film from director Na Hong-jin, who established a unique genre universe through “The Chaser,” “The Yellow Sea,” and “The Wailing,” following a long period of preparation. Invited to the Competition section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, it garnered attention from the global film industry even before its release, featuring a cast including Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, as well as international stars such as Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton, has also generated significant buzz.
The response from international critics has also been enthusiastic. The U.S. media outlet TheWrap praised it as “the pinnacle of what action cinema can achieve,” while the French daily *Libération* lauded it, stating, “An intense pace and cinematic energy dominate the screen throughout the runtime.” The U.S. magazine *The New Yorker* also heaped praise on the film, calling it “100% pure blockbuster adrenaline.”
Expectations for box office success are also high in overseas markets. *Hope* was pre-sold to over 200 countries and regions worldwide at a price among the highest ever for a Korean film, and its artistic merit has been recognized through a series of contracts with global distributors, including North American distributor NEON, France’s Focus/UPI, and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions.
In particular, with screenings confirmed for various special formats—including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, Dolby Atmos, ScreenX, and 4DX—the film is generating anticipation as a work that allows audiences to fully experience its overwhelming visual beauty and sound in theaters.
“Hope” tells the story of Beom-seok, the head of the Hopo Port branch office near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), who receives a report of a tiger sighting in the village and finds himself face-to-face with an unimaginable creature. All eyes are on whether Director Na Hong-jin’s new film—the result of years of painstaking work—will be able to translate its strong advance ticket sales into box office success.