The Korean thriller Hope, directed by Na Hong-jin, has made a promising debut in North America.
According to Box Office Mojo, Hope grossed 1.1 million USD from 1,560 theaters on its opening day, Wednesday (local time), in North America. The film secured the second spot at the North American box office.
Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey claimed the top position, earning 1,262,245 USD from 2,312 theaters. Spider-Man: Brand New Day landed in third place, generating 1,001,745 USD from 3,520 theaters.
Hope boasted the highest per-theater average of 705 USD among all films tracked that day. While it ranked second in total revenue, it outperformed in terms of per-theater earnings.
This marks the second-highest opening day revenue for a Korean film in North America. Box Office Mojo reports that Shim Hyung-rae’s Dragon Wars: D-War previously set the record in 2007, raking in 1.602 million USD from 2,277 theaters on its debut.
Hope has garnered generally positive initial reviews in North America. As of Friday, the film held an impressive 80% Tomatometer score and a 77% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Much like its reception in Korea, the film has elicited polarizing reactions. Critics and audiences have either lavished it with perfect scores or panned it with the lowest ratings. Admirers praised its bold and unconventional approach, with one stating, “I couldn’t help but love this movie,” and another suggesting, “It deserves a sequel.” On the flip side, a dissatisfied viewer remarked, “This is one of the strangest movies I’ve ever seen.” One critic offered a balanced take: “I had mixed feelings about it, but you should definitely watch it.”
Hope follows Bumsuk, the head of a branch office in the Demilitarized Zone, as he grapples with an unbelievable reality after local youths report a tiger sighting, throwing the entire village into a state of panic. The star-studded cast includes Hwang Jung Min, Jo In Sung, and Jung Ho Yeon. Since its South Korean release on July 15, the film has attracted an impressive 4.55 million viewers.
Neon, the distributor behind the North American release of the Oscar-winning Parasite, is handling the distribution of Hope in the region. Neon has a track record of bringing critically acclaimed international films to North American audiences, including multiple Palme d’Or winners from the Cannes Film Festival and Academy Award-winning features.
Notably, Hope shattered records for international pre-sales of a Korean film, securing deals in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. This unprecedented pre-sale success has already allowed the film to recoup approximately half of its production costs. With additional revenue expected from its international box office performance, industry insiders are eagerly anticipating its future earnings.
