[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] "Hope," a blockbuster with a record-breaking production budget of 50 billion won for a Korean film, has left its disappointing domestic box office performance behind and embarked on a full-scale global run. This move is significant because it marks a shift from relying solely on domestic box office revenue to break even, to targeting global markets, including North America.

According to Box Office Mojo, a U.S. box office tracking site, as of the 16th, “Hope” had grossed a cumulative total of $5.27 million (approximately 7.2 billion won) in North America through the 14th. On the 9th, its opening day in North America, the film surprised many by grossing $1.1 million (approximately 1.5 billion won) and claiming the No. 2 spot at the local box office.
To date, “Hope” has grossed $41.56 million (approximately 56.7 billion won) in global theater sales. North American revenue accounts for about 12.7% of that total. This performance, achieved just one week after its North American release, is considered remarkable.
Previously, Korean films entering the North American market generally opened in select cities and expanded their screen count based on box office performance. However, “Hope” opted for a “wide release,” opening simultaneously in approximately 1,560 theaters on its first day. This strategy is seen as a result of NEON, the North American distributor, highly evaluating the film’s commercial potential and box office prospects. So far, NEON’s strategy appears to have paid off.
Although the film fell significantly short of expectations domestically, with a cumulative audience of 4.57 million, it is still too early to be disappointed. This is because the film generated revenue through overseas pre-sales prior to its release and is set to open sequentially in countries such as the UK, Australia, France, Germany, and Japan. When streaming and ancillary rights sales are factored in, revenue is expected to increase further. There is even speculation that the film might surpass its break-even point—a feat that seemed unlikely given its record-breaking production budget.
“Hope’s” approach to the international market is markedly different from the traditional model followed by Korean films, in which production costs were recouped through domestic box office success, with profits supplemented by overseas rights sales. A film industry insider stated, “If ‘Hope’ makes up for its lackluster domestic performance with strong international results, it could set a new precedent for Korean blockbusters with massive production budgets to overcome the limitations of the domestic market and generate profits.”