Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hope' has surpassed 600,000 pre-sales ahead of its release.
According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, 'Hope' recorded 603,601 pre-sales as of 7 a.m. on July 15.
The film has held the top spot in overall pre-sales since 11 days before its release, achieving the fastest pre-sale rate for a 2026 release and setting a new record for the highest pre-sales this year.
'Hope' is also performing strongly across theaters, maintaining the number one pre-sale rate at major chains including CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox.
The film tells the story of Beom-seok, the head of a local office in the Demilitarized Zone, who faces an unbelievable reality when he hears reports of a tiger sighting from local youths, causing a state of emergency in the village.
This marks Na Hong-jin's return after a decade since 'The Wailing,' and 'Hope' has garnered attention as an official selection in the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The cast includes Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, as well as Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton.
With its impressive pre-sales, 'Hope' is generating interest in whether it can demonstrate the box office power of a major Korean film this summer.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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