Actor Jung Ho-yeon gets behind the wheel of Hyundai Motor's Stella for 'Hope,' which has topped 600,000 advance ticket sales

On its opening day Wednesday, "Hope (HOPE)," the new film by director Na Hong-jin sponsored by Hyundai Motor, released a character making-of video titled "Seong-ae," documenting actor Jung Ho-yeon's journey through her first-ever action performance alongside the Hyundai Motor Stella.

"Hope" is the first science fiction action thriller from Na, the director who reshaped Korean genre cinema with "The Chaser," "The Yellow Sea" and "The Wailing."

Set in the remote village of Hopohang near the demilitarized zone, the film depicts an intense struggle between ordinary people and an unidentified presence. It received an official invitation to the Competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, where it drew a prolonged standing ovation following its world premiere and earned strong praise from audiences for its elegant action choreography and gripping tension.

The newly released video captures in vivid detail how Jung threw herself into the action sequences — including car stunts — through relentless preparation. She describes in her own words the moments she performed drifts and J-turns with the Stella after obtaining a Class 1 driver's license specifically for the role.

The video also offers behind-the-scenes stories from the car chase sequence, which has drawn consistent praise since the Cannes world premiere, along with anecdotes about the bond Jung developed with the Hyundai Motor Stella on set.

The Stella, a heritage model featured in the film through Hyundai Motor's sponsorship, appears as the police car driven by protagonists Beomsok (Hwang Jung-min) and Seong-ae (Jung Ho-yeon), commanding a strong screen presence throughout most of the film's runtime.

The Stella shapes the gaze and rhythm of the film's chase sequences while serving as a cultural object that carries the era's emotional texture and drives the overall narrative.

"This sponsorship is part of Hyundai Motor's ongoing content partnership strategy, which we have been pursuing in new forms," a Hyundai Motor official said. "Through the Stella, we aim to share the heritage and cultural value the brand has built with audiences around the world in a natural way."

Beyond "Hope," Hyundai Motor has engaged audiences on screen across both short and feature films — including its own short film "Night Fishing" and "Bedford Park," which won a special jury award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Meanwhile, "Hope" has stoked box office expectations by recording approximately 600,000 advance ticket sales as of its opening day.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, "Hope" held a 68.1 percent advance booking share as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, well ahead of the foreign film "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" at 11.3 percent and the animated film "Minions & Monsters" at 6.2 percent.