'Hope,' which drew intense attention from filmmakers around the world at this year's Cannes Film Festival, will finally meet Korean audiences after a long wait.
The press and distribution screening for the film 'Hope' was held on the 6th at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Actors Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, and director Na Hong-jin attended the event.
Set to open on the 15th, 'Hope' tells the story of Beom-seok, the branch manager at Hope Harbor in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), who hears from local young people that a tiger has appeared. As the entire village goes on alert, he is confronted with an unbelievable reality. The film is directed by Na Hong-jin, known for 'The Chaser,' 'The Yellow Sea,' and 'The Wailing.'
Returning to the screen for the first time in 10 years since 'The Wailing,' Na said, "First, I thought of the name 'Hope,' and then created the fictional place name 'Hope Harbor.' I came up with it while imagining a small village in Korea."
He added, "I don't know how audiences will see this film, but compared with my previous works, 'Hope' has a much lower level of violence. I wanted to make it that way this time. There are knives and guns in the film, and while they can be brutal weapons, I thought they could be expressed effectively."
He also spoke about the action direction, saying, "Above all, I focused on the actors' safety first. We finalized the shot division a year before filming, and after preparing the storyboard and continuity plan, we discussed everything with the actors and staff."
He continued, "This time, I wanted to film without backing down, and the preparation process for actually carrying that out was quite long."
Hwang Jung-min, who plays Beom-seok, the branch manager at Hope Harbor, said of the process, "It was the first time I acted in a creature film using only my imagination, without an opposite actor. I think it was unfamiliar not just for me, but for all the actors. For me, it was a performance that required complete calculation. In particular, this kind of acting is completed depending on how the other actor reacts, but that was impossible in this project."
Na, who worked with Hwang for the second time after 'The Wailing,' said, "At first, I was planning another project with Hwang Jung-min, but while writing the script, I switched to this one. Even though a lot of time had passed, he never pressured me by asking when the project would come out. One day, he called and asked, 'Can I film another project?' and I told him, 'Of course.' Then the script for 'Hope' was completed, and I reached out to invite him. Thankfully, he agreed, and we ended up working together. Naturally, I wrote the character of Beom-seok with only Hwang Jung-min in mind."
Zo In-sung transformed into Seong-gi, a young man from the village. Speaking about the demanding action scenes he performed in the film, he said, "The final action sequence was the most difficult scene. I think it was hard not only for me, but also for Ho-yeon, who drove the car beside me, and senior Jung-min. I saw it for myself, and because it was shot with so much difficulty, I personally feel it became a great scene. I feel proud of it in my heart, and it was a sequence that made all the hard work worthwhile."
He also explained how he prepared for the horseback action scenes, saying, "I practiced two or three times a week. I also went out riding and tried running on actual asphalt roads, and I tried to match my rhythm with the horse as much as possible within the permitted spaces."
"I tried to get a feel for it, but it wasn't easy. Unlike cars or motorcycles, a horse is a living creature, so if the condition isn't right, it suddenly hits the brakes. I was reminded once again how difficult it is to work in sync with a horse."
Jung Ho-yeon, who plays police officer Seong-ae, said that working with Na Hong-jin for the first time was a meaningful challenge. "It was a new challenge not only to work with director Na Hong-jin, but also with cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo and the senior actors. On set, we communicated mostly through our eyes rather than with words. Of course, it was difficult to keep up with that pace, but later it felt like we had become one body."
She also spoke about the profanity-heavy performance, saying, "For the profanity scenes, I had senior Hwang Jung-min right next to me, and he is a master of that kind of acting, so I studied a lot by watching his previous work. I also thought there would be parts of the police officer that resemble the branch manager."
Earlier, 'Hope' achieved the honor of being invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, held in May. However, at the press conference at the time, a foreign reporter asked questions to Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, then said to Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, "I don't know who the rest of you are," sparking accusations of racism. In response, Na briefly said, "Of course I was offended. I can't express this feeling, so I don't want to talk about it any further."
He also picked the most memorable moment from working with Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Na said, "What was interesting was that the two of them came to the set separately. When one came to film, the other had to take care of the child. So when Michael was there, we drank together every day, and he was not someone who drank moderately. It was fun because he seemed to have a similar upbringing to mine, and we laughed together while watching YouTube videos. Alicia and I have known each other for quite some time. She also scolded me a lot on set this time, but we wrapped up on a good note. There isn't a particularly special anecdote, but it was a pleasant experience."
Finally, when asked how he felt about meeting Korean audiences again after such a long time, Na said, "I worked until the very end and was even thinking about whether I should keep working today."
"That is how little regret I have, and I have no remorse. While making this film, I think I watched it thousands of times, and I am just hoping I never have to see it again. I really hope that day comes."
Reporter An So-yoon, antahn22@sportschosun.com
