Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
After record global presales, Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' prepares for world rollout
A promotional poster for Na Hong-jin's movie "Hope" / Courtesy of Plus M Entertainment
By Jhoo Dong-chan
When director Na Hong-jin releases a movie, the international cinematic world tends to hold its breath. Celebrated for his relentlessly tense, atmospheric thrillers like "The Chaser" and "The Wailing," the visionary filmmaker is preparing to unleash his latest cinematic spectacle, "Hope," upon global audiences this fall following a record-breaking presales run spanning more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Distributor Plus M Entertainment said Wednesday that the film will kick off its international theatrical rollout in Taiwan on Sept. 4, followed by a wide North American debut on Sept. 9.
A formidable roster of major global distributors has rallied behind the title.
Indie powerhouse NEON is handling the English-speaking markets, while prestigious partners such as MUBI, Focus Features/UPI France and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions will bring the feature to screens across Europe, Latin America, Australia and Asia.
Set in a secluded port town near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone, "Hope" follows Beom-seok, a local police outpost chief, who receives a startling report from local residents that a tiger — or something far more elusive and sinister — has suddenly appeared. The shocking news throws the isolated town into chaos, leaving residents to face a terrifying threat in their midst.
The upcoming global release features a meticulously polished reedit personally refined by Na following its initial premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. By reengineering the sound design, perfecting creature visual effects and adjusting narrative pacing, Na trimmed roughly four to five minutes to sharpen the film’s emotional and suspenseful engine. Early preview screenings of the recut version in New York and Los Angeles have drawn glowing reactions from foreign critics. IndieWire hailed the final cut, noting that its refined structure connects story arcs far more smoothly and praising the feature as "one of the best action movies seen in recent years from start to finish."
For Korea’s film industry, "Hope" represents a major commercial and artistic milestone, having already shattered records for the highest overseas presales in Korean cinema history. As Korean genre storytelling continues to command international attention, Na’s latest masterpiece promises to deliver an overwhelming, edge-of-your-seat theatrical experience to audiences worldwide.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.