Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' dominates box office with 1.5 million viewers in opening weekend

Director Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hope' is continuing an overwhelming box office run, drawing more than 1.5 million viewers in its opening weekend alone. Despite mixed reviews, the film's original worldview, large-scale production, and powerful performances have driven massive theatrical demand, securing a firm grip on the summer box office.

According to data from the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system released on the 20th, 'Hope' rose to the top of the box office by drawing 1,504,013 viewers during the three-day weekend from the 17th to the 19th. The cumulative audience has reached 2,129,720.

Released on the 15th, 'Hope' maintained its number one position from its opening day and succeeded in surpassing 2 million cumulative viewers in just its first weekend. This marks the fastest pace for both domestic and international films released this year to surpass the 1 million and 2 million marks, proving its explosive draw in the early stages of release.

In particular, the opening weekend performance is even more dominant compared to competing films. The 1,504,013 weekend viewers recorded by 'Hope' is more than double the combined audience of the four films ranked from 2nd to 5th, which drew 672,414 viewers. In effect, a single film has dominated weekend theatrical demand, showing an unrivaled market share.

Interestingly, despite clearly divided audience reactions, the box office momentum shows no signs of slowing down. While viewers have offered varied responses to the film's genre experimentation and narrative structure, analysts suggest that Na's signature intense directing, the vast scale, the original sci-fi worldview, and the heavy-hitting acting ensemble—including Hwang Jung-min and Zo In Sung—are the primary drivers for theatrical attendance.

Industry experts are also noting that 'Hope' is functioning as content that triggers both curiosity and debate, moving beyond a typical 'trend-consumption' film. It is being evaluated as a 'discourse-driven hit,' where various interpretations and reviews spread through online communities and SNS, naturally stimulating additional demand for repeat viewings.

Second place in the box office was taken by the American animation 'Minions & Monsters'. The film drew 308,576 viewers over the weekend, recording a cumulative audience of 374,785. Combining familiar characters from the 'Minions' series with a new monster adventure, it has become a hit among children and families.

Third place was occupied by the Disney animation 'Moana', which added 173,555 weekend viewers to reach a cumulative audience of 772,104. Even amidst a wave of major new releases, it maintains a steady flow of family audiences.

Fourth place went to 'Toy Story 5', which drew 114,718 viewers over the weekend, bringing its cumulative audience to 2,750,181. Despite having been in theaters for some time, the film continues its long-term success by steadily attracting more than 100,000 viewers every weekend.

The thriller 'The Eye', starring Shin Min-a, added 75,565 viewers over the weekend to claim 5th place, with a cumulative audience of 1,431,225. Despite the influx of major blockbusters, the film maintains its position in the upper ranks through genre-specific tension and strong performances.

As major Korean films and global franchises compete during the peak summer season, industry attention is now focused on when 'Hope' will surpass the 3 million mark and whether it can sustain its long-term dominance.