Director Na Hong-jin’s Hope dominated theaters in its opening weekend, launching a runaway box office streak.
According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office system on the 20th, Hope drew 1,504,013 moviegoers over the three-day weekend from the 17th to 19th, taking the No. 1 spot at the box office. Its cumulative admissions stand at 2,129,720.
Hope showed steep momentum from the start. On opening day, the 15th, it attracted 333,900 viewers, the best opening day tally of any Na Hong-jin film, and it surpassed 1 million admissions on day three. By day five, it had raced past 2 million, setting this year’s fastest-to-2-million record.
The film kicks off when Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hopo Port outpost located in the Demilitarized Zone, hears from local youths that a tiger has appeared. As the whole village goes on high alert, they’re forced to confront an unbelievable reality. Starring Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, Hope held the top box office spot throughout its first week, and surging word of mouth plus repeat viewings are fueling strong prospects for a long theatrical run.
Weekend box office No. 2 went to the animated film Minions & Monsters, which brought in 308,576 viewers over the same period for a cumulative total of 374,785. At No. 3 was Moana with 173,555 admissions.
All eyes are on whether Hope—which exploded as this year’s hottest theatrical release the moment it opened—can turn its opening-weekend surge into a sustained box office run.