Director Na Hong-jin, who created the film "HOPE," spoke about the process of producing a sci-fi film, a genre that is nearly barren in Korea.

In a recent interview with Elle magazine, director Na Hong-jin revealed that "HOPE" is a film with over 400 creature shots, adding that he spent an intense time working on CGI and sound post-production until just before the screening.

Director Na Hong-jin said, "As soon as the script was finished, I met with the CEO of the VFX company at Daepo Port," and added, "I had the thought that our country's VFX industry needed to try this and achieve a certain level of quality. It wasn't the grammar of existing creature films; it was something that had never been done before. There are no references for creatures in broad daylight. We started from scratch."

The reason for starting "HOPE" was not simply a challenge to the sci-fi or creature genre. Mentioning the era when the streaming age was in full swing, director Na Hong-jin revealed the starting point of the work, saying, "The entertainment I wanted to see in theaters was gradually disappearing. So, I started with the mindset that I would make it myself."

A special philosophy was also embedded in the film's visuals. Director Na Hong-jin explained his collaboration with cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, stating that he wanted to plant a "retro" sensibility into the entire mise-en-scène of "HOPE." He replied that he wanted to complete a classic genre film of the current era through vintage lenses and classic screen composition, adding, "I've watched it over 1,000 times while making 'HOPE,' and I still love the feeling."

He also mentioned that for the actors' action scenes, he chose to film them in reality as much as possible without relying on CGI, aiming to capture the spectacle created by the human body on screen.

The interview also revealed the working process with actors such as Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Hoyeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander. Director Na Hong-jin expressed his gratitude, saying, "There wasn't a single easy scene," and "Thanks to the actors trusting the set and staying with us until the end, we were able to create a perfect harmony."

Regarding Michael Fassbender, who was immersed in motion capture acting, he added, "He was acting with machines hanging all over his body, surrounded by people he didn't know, and it was so cool," and "My goodness, why am I covering this person with CGI? I should have just shown his face," which drew laughter from the staff at the interview site.

Director Na Hong-jin explained how to watch "HOPE," saying, "Instead of interpreting the film like a text, please accept the visuals and sound as they are, with your body." When asked about a sequel, he left the answer, "I really don't know. Because you can't make a film of this scale with this amount of capital."

"HOPE" was released in theaters nationwide on the 15th and surpassed 2 million viewers nationwide in 5 days.

<Photo=Elle Korea> 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)