Hoyeon's 'Hope' Debut: A $30M Sci-Fi Spectacle Divides Critics

Key points

• Hoyeon, known for 'Squid Game,' stars as rookie officer Sung-ae in 'Hope,' her first feature film role.
• The film has a budget of approximately €30 million (S$44 million), making it the highest-budget South Korean movie ever.
• Hoyeon prepared for the role by studying 'Alien' and 'Dr. Akagi,' focusing on the emotional reaction to the unknown rather than just physical stunts.
• The film grossed $36 million in South Korea and opened in 1,560 U.S. theaters, the widest release for a Korean film since 'Parasite.'
• Critics are divided, with some praising the action spectacle and others criticizing the film's scale and pacing.

Background

This follows earlier coverage of 'Hope' as a significant test case for original, high-budget Korean sci-fi, with a reported $46 million budget and strong domestic performance. The film's success is seen as a potential shift toward risk-taking original storytelling in the industry.

How outlets are covering it

Gizmodo highlights Hoyeon's 'manifested' casting and her preparation, noting the film's strong word-of-mouth despite critical hand-wringing. The Atlantic criticizes the film as 'too big for its own good,' suggesting the first hour feels like a standard monster thriller rather than an epic. Deadline provides the box office data, noting the $36 million domestic gross and the wide U.S. release, while AP News's review (though largely obscured by code) implies a mixed reception, calling it a 'creature feature to the tilt.'

Why it matters

The film's performance tests the viability of non-IP, high-budget Korean sci-fi in the global market. Its success or failure will influence future investment in original, large-scale productions from South Korea, potentially impacting the trajectory of the country's film industry.

What to watch

The film is currently playing in theaters. Na Hong-jin has already written a sequel, suggesting the potential for a franchise if the international performance matches the domestic success.