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Issues, cross-checked · Screen

Na Hong-jin's Hope: box office and reception

Period
2026-05 ~ 2026-10
Where it stands
Domestic admissions plateaued around 4.57 million (mid-September). It opened in North America on Sept. 9 in the widest release for a Korean film since Parasite, grossing about $4.92 million in its first week. Whether it broke even at home is unclear because published figures conflict.
อัปเดต
2026-10-09

Hope is Na Hong-jin's first film since The Wailing (2016). It competed at Cannes 2026 without winning a prize. Released in Korea on July 15, it set the year's biggest opening day and weekend but declined quickly, stalling in the 4 million range by early August. An investor issued a press release saying the film had passed break-even, then corrected it within 90 minutes, and outlets cited differing break-even estimates. Neon opened it in 1,560 North American theaters on Sept. 9.

Fact Claim Disputed Rumor Not true

A high-expectation start

Hope follows mysterious beings appearing in Hopo, a port town near the DMZ, with a cast including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. As Na's first film in a decade and the most expensive Korean film ever made, it drew attention well before release.

It competed at Cannes but won nothing. Critics there praised its chases while faulting rough CG and a second half that loses momentum; Na said he would keep refining it before the Korean release.

1,3,4

At home: fast start, fast drop

The first week was record-setting: 330,000 on opening day, 1.5 million over the opening frame, and the year's fastest climb to 1 and 2 million. Attendance fell sharply from the second week.

By early August it had slipped to second through fourth daily and lost screens. Weekly Kyunghyang attributed this to an unaccommodating narrative and open ending that disappointed audiences expecting entertainment, alongside a run of Hollywood releases. Domestic admissions were about 4.57 million by mid-September.

1,2,7,8

Confusion over break-even

No official break-even figure has been published. On July 27 the investor issued a release saying the film had passed break-even, then corrected it to the halfway point; Ilgan Sports criticised the listed company for issuing it before the stock market opened without consulting the distributor.

Published estimates vary: Women News wrote that overseas pre-sales lowered break-even from over 10 million to about 5 million (July 27); Sports Kyunghyang cited about 7 million (Aug. 5); Weekly Kyunghyang cited 6 to 6.5 million (Aug. 8).

5,6,7,8

International release

Hope opened in Taiwan on Sept. 4 and North America on Sept. 9. Neon, which distributed Parasite, released it in 1,560 theaters, the widest for a Korean film since Parasite (2019). Its $4.92 million first week already exceeds the total North American grosses of The Host ($2.2 million), Snowpiercer ($4.6 million) and Decision to Leave ($2.2 million).

Critics' aggregates stood at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes (Certified Fresh) and 66 on Metacritic.

2,3,8

Timeline

  1. Fact Screened in Competition at Cannes, the only Korean film among 22 entries. It scored 2.8 of 4 on Screen's jury grid (tied fourth) but won no prize; the Palme d'Or went to Cristian Mungiu's Fjord.4,3
  2. Fact Released in Korea by Plus M Entertainment; 333,915 admissions on opening day, the year's biggest.1
  3. Fact Opening frame (Wed–Sun): 1,504,019 admissions on 2,334 screens, 64.74% revenue share; passed 2 million on day five.1
  4. Fact Investor Episode Company issued a release headlined that Hope had passed break-even, then changed it about 90 minutes later to say it had passed the halfway point. Admissions stood at 3.415 million as of the previous day.5,6
  5. Claim Cumulative 4,235,698 admissions, No. 2 that day. The distributor said pre-sales covered more than 200 countries and territories, a record for a Korean film.8
  6. Fact Cumulative 4.32 million, No. 4 that day, behind Hollywood titles such as Odyssey and Spider-Man.7
  7. Fact Opened via Neon in 1,560 U.S. and Canadian theaters: $1.1 million opening day, $3.3 million weekend, $4.92 million first week through Sunday, Sept. 13.2,3
  8. Fact Domestic admissions reported at 4.57 million.2,3

What people say — checked

Not trueHope has passed its break-even point

The investor's July 27 headline said so but was corrected within about 90 minutes to 'past the halfway point'. No later official statement confirms break-even.5,6

DisputedBreak-even is X million admissions

No official number exists; reports cite about 5 million (Women News), 6–6.5 million (Weekly Kyunghyang) and about 7 million (Sports Kyunghyang).6,7,8

DisputedThe budget is 70 billion won

Outlets agree it is the most expensive Korean film but differ on the amount: Screen says about 70 billion won (~$46m), the Korea Herald over $50 million, and Women News 50 billion won in its headline. No official figure was found.1,2,6

FactIt is the widest North American release for a Korean film since Parasite

Both the Korea Herald and Korea JoongAng Daily report this for its 1,560-theater launch.2,3

Not trueIt won a prize at Cannes

It competed but was not among the award winners.4

DisputedCritics panned it

Aggregates are broadly favourable (Screen grid 2.8/4, tied fourth; Rotten Tomatoes 79%; Metacritic 66), while Korean coverage describes sharply divided audience reactions to the narrative and ending.2,4,7

Why it's an issue

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Sources

  1. press Screen International, Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ delivers Korea’s biggest box office opening of 2026, 2026-07
  2. press The Korea Herald, 'Hope' opens to nearly $5m in North America in widest Korean release since 'Parasite', 2026-09
  3. press Korea JoongAng Daily, Korean sci-fi thriller 'Hope' earns nearly $5 million in North America debut week, 2026-09-15
  4. press 스포츠경향, Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ misses out on Cannes prizes…CG·final act hobbled by a ‘stern rebuke’, 2026-05-24
  5. press 일간스포츠(다음 뉴스), ‘호프’ 손익분기점으로 장난질..투자사 무리한 언플 [왓IS], 2026-07-27
  6. press 여성신문, ‘500억’ 호프, 어떻게 12일 만에 손익분기 넘봤나, 2026-07-27
  7. press 주간경향, 한국 영화 최대 제작비 <호프> 500만도 어려울 듯, 2026-08-08
  8. press 스포츠경향, With momentum slowing at home, ‘Hope’ widens its global reach, 2026-08-05
  9. community Reddit r/korea, 'Hope' opens to nearly $5m in North America in widest Korean release since 'Parasite', 2026-09-16

How this article was made: read official statements, court/regulator records and at least two independent outlets; community posts are used only as attention signals. Written by Hallyu Wiki editors with AI assistance — check the sources. ขอแก้ไข