'HOPE' Nears 500,000 Pre-sale Tickets, Unseen Momentum in Years

The film "HOPE" is signaling a box office sensation, recording nearly 500,000 pre-sale tickets on the eve of its release.

According to the Korean Film Council's pre-sale statistics on the 14th, "HOPE" is firmly holding the number one spot in both categories with a 64.9% pre-sale rate and 470,000 tickets sold. A Korean film nearing 500,000 pre-sale tickets before its release is a phenomenon that was only seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"HOPE," which received the largest production budget in Korean film history, has turned on the green light for box office success, carrying the high expectations of audiences rather than being all hype. Expectations have risen even further after being partially revealed to general audiences through press and distribution screenings, Untact Talk, and VIP screenings.

Among general audiences, dominant reviews such as "Crazy movie" and "Action never seen before in Korean cinema" are emerging, leading to expectations that the current momentum will continue after the release.

"HOPE" is a story that begins when Beom-seok, the head of the Hopohang branch located in the demilitarized zone, hears news of a tiger sighting from local youth, and the entire village enters a state of emergency as they encounter an unbelievable reality. It is the first new film in 10 years from director Na Hong-jin, who created "The Chaser," "The Yellow Sea," and "The Wailing," and stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Hoyeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander.

The film will be released on the 15th.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)