'Hope' breaks this year's pre-sale record with 375,000 advance tickets

Anticipation for director Na Hong-jin's science fiction film "Hope" is running high. With its opening set for Wednesday, the film has already surpassed 375,000 advance ticket sales, racing toward its release date with remarkable momentum.

As of Monday morning, "Hope" held a real-time advance booking rate of 61.2%, with 375,400 tickets sold, according to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system. The film broke this year's advance sales record on Sunday, crossing the 350,000-ticket mark and surpassing a 60% booking rate.

The figures signal that "Hope" has firmly established itself as the most anticipated film of the summer, even as Hollywood heavyweights including "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "Odyssey" ramp up their competition.

"Hope" stars Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon alongside Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell. The science fiction action thriller follows a village thrown into chaos after a tiger is reported in the demilitarized zone, setting off a chain of events that defies belief.

It is Na's first feature since "The Wailing" (2016), a decade-long gap between projects. The film had its world premiere in the competition section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival in May.

Following domestic preview screenings, "Hope" has drawn praise from critics for showcasing the potential of Korean-style science fiction — combining relentless action, visually striking mise-en-scène and committed performances from its cast.

The distributor described the film as a classic action movie distinguished by actors performing most of the stunts themselves. "From start to finish, 'Hope' charges forward with an unpredictable rhythm and tempo, delivering an overwhelming sense of immediacy — as if you've stepped right into the heart of the action — and a cinematic experience that can only be fully felt on the big screen," the distributor said.