The film 'Hope' has topped the weekend box office, drawing over 1.5 million viewers nationwide.
According to the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network for movie theater admissions on the 20th, 'Hope' attracted 1,504,013 viewers from the 17th to the 19th. The cumulative number of viewers stands at 2,129,720.
Released on the 15th, 'Hope' surpassed 1 million viewers in just three days and 2 million in five days, marking the fastest box office pace among films released this year.
While opinions on the film have been divided since its early release, the high level of buzz is drawing significant attention from audiences. The split between favorable and harsh reviews among those who have seen the film is stimulating the curiosity of potential viewers who have yet to watch it.
'Hope' is a blockbuster that invested over 50 billion won in production costs, a first for a Korean film. At the Cannes Film Festival held last May, it was pre-sold to 200 countries worldwide, lowering its break-even point to around 7 million viewers. Having drawn 2 million viewers in its first weekend, 'Hope' has signaled a green light toward reaching its break-even point.
'Hope' tells the story that begins when Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hopohang branch office located in the Demilitarized Zone, hears news from local youths about the appearance of a tiger, leading to an emergency across the village as they encounter an unbelievable reality. The film is directed by Na Hong-jin, known for 'The Chaser' and 'The Wailing,' and stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon.
(Reported by Kim Ji-hye, SBS Entertainment News)
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