[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Film critic Lee Dong-jin has spoken out after being subjected to a barrage of malicious comments following his decision to give the movie "Hope" a rating of 4 out of 10.

The critic posted a lengthy entry on his blog on the 20th. Previously, he had given “Hope” a rating of 4 out of 5, accompanied by a review stating, “It races boldly through a bizarre free-for-all; the entire film is one giant crescendo.”
In response to the critic’s high praise, some netizens left harsh, abusive comments—including profanity—on his blog and other platforms. These included accusations such as, “Are you friends with Director Na Hong-jin?” and “Did you receive a bribe?”
He began by addressing the rumors of a personal relationship with Director Na, drawing a clear line by stating that their only interaction had been in public settings. He went on to clarify, “We’ve never even shared a cup of coffee, and I don’t even know his phone number.”
The critic argued that his praise had nothing to do with the director’s reputation, asking, “What would you say about the fact that I highly praised both his debut film, *The Chaser*, which I saw after first hearing the name Na Hong-jin, and his second film, *The Yellow Sea*, which he made shortly after shedding his rookie status?”

The critic also said of Director Na, “I hold him in very high regard as a creator. He is one of the most outstanding directors in Korea.” He added, “It’s not that I like Director Na’s films simply because I like him; rather, I admire him as a creator because, in my view, he has consistently made good films.”
Some netizens suggested that the high praise might have been forced, given the difficult situation facing the Korean film industry and the crisis Megabox Jungang is facing due to corporate rehabilitation proceedings. In response, he emphasized, “While I do hope that the Korean film industry will once again receive enthusiastic support from audiences and that Megabox will emerge from this crisis, that has nothing to do with my evaluation of a single film.”
He continued, “Even if my review were to put someone in an even more difficult situation, I believe I must grit my teeth and evaluate the film based on what I saw.”
He also strongly refuted claims that he was motivated by honoraria or financial gain. The critic explained, “I don’t accept honoraria for art films or independent films, but I do accept them for large-scale mainstream films. However, the amount of the honorarium doesn’t change just because a film is a blockbuster or a major production,” adding, “There’s no reason for me to specifically choose *Hope* for a GV just for financial gain.”
The critic explained, “If making money were my primary goal, I would simply accept as many requests as possible,” noting, “However, I’ve only held Q&As for two films this year.” He added, “Income from the film industry, including Q&As, accounts for a very small portion of my total earnings.”
Finally, the critic said, “There are probably still people asking, ‘Then why on earth did you give *Hope* a favorable review?’” to which he replied, “Because I thought the film was excellent.” He noted, “It’s a charming, original, and entertaining film with very strong merits that more than make up for its flaws.”
Regarding criticism, he emphasized, “Just because a relatively larger number of people lean toward a specific opinion doesn’t mean that opinion is necessarily true,” adding, “Opinions can certainly differ, and different opinions can coexist peacefully.”
This critic has also given high scores to Director Na’s previous works, including *The Chaser* (4 points), *The Yellow Sea* (4.5 points), and *The Wailing* (5 points). On the 15th, the film’s release date, a *Hope* Q&A session was held via “Untact Talk,” a program hosted by this critic.