As the highly anticipated film Hope prepares for its July 15, 2026 release, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch in South Korea and beyond. Directed by Na Hong-jin, whose reputation for perfectionism is legendary, the film has already made waves as an official selection at the 79th Cannes Film Festival and has racked up over 500,000 pre-sale tickets, according to Kukmin Ilbo. With an eight-year production timeline and a record-breaking budget of approximately 50 billion KRW, Hope stands as one of the most ambitious projects in Korean cinema history.
At the heart of the film is actor Jo In-sung, who takes on the role of Seong-gi, a village youth whose life is upended by a surreal encounter with aliens in a forest near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In a round-table interview held in Seoul’s Jongno-gu on July 9, Jo reflected on his journey with the film, his physical challenges, and the relentless demands of the production. "When I first read the script, I was faced with a huge question mark," Jo told Financial Today. "I wondered how director Na Hong-jin would break through the high barriers of Korean SF and creature genres. The script simply said 'run,' but knowing director Na’s previous works, I instinctively knew it wouldn’t be an ordinary run."
Jo’s commitment to the role was anything but ordinary. Despite having undergone knee surgery that left him with only about 30% of his cartilage, he chose to lay his cards on the table with director Na from the outset. "My doctor warned me that jumping and running wouldn’t do my future any good," Jo explained. "I told director Na about my condition, worrying that I might lower the film’s quality. But he just said, 'That won’t happen. Don’t worry. You’re making the movie, right?' That gave me the courage to go ahead."
The film’s plot is deceptively simple: aliens crash-land in a DMZ-adjacent village, and the residents, led by figures like the local office chief Beom-seok (played by Hwang Jung-min) and Seong-gi, are thrust into a maelstrom of suspicion, misunderstanding, and escalating conflict. But beneath this premise lies a relentless pace and a series of action sequences that leave audiences breathless. According to Kukmin Ilbo, the film’s second half is propelled by the raw energy of Seong-gi and police officer Seong-ae (Jung Ho-yeon), whose struggles against the unknown drive the story to its explosive climax.
Jo In-sung’s performance is nothing short of transformative. He trained intensively for three to four months with a horse-riding team, mastering stunts that required him to ride at speeds of 25–30 km/h on asphalt, balance precariously between a horse and a moving car, and even shoot a rifle while galloping through dense forests. As he recounted to iMBC Entertainment, "There was a scene where I had to stand on one foot on a horse while shooting. Even the professional stunt team said they hadn’t tried that before. I thought, 'Why am I doing something even experts haven’t done?'"
The physical demands were matched by the emotional intensity of the role. Seong-gi, as Jo describes him, is both a leader among his peers and a fundamentally ordinary young man, swept up in events far beyond his comprehension. In one scene, Seong-gi faces an alien in the forest—a moment Jo interpreted as "a state where there is neither black nor white, inside nor outside." He wanted to express the paralysis that comes when a person confronts something entirely outside the realm of experience. "I wanted my face to show a breakdown of boundaries, just staring in a daze, asking, 'What is this?'" he told Financial Today.
The challenges didn’t end with the action sequences. The winter shoot in Hapcheon, South Korea, from mid-February to mid-March 2026, brought its own set of hurdles. Scenes had to be delayed for days as the crew waited for snow to melt—a process they jokingly referred to as "roll call." Jo recalled, "We’d prepare for hours in special effects makeup, wondering if we’d even be able to shoot that day. But that’s what made the experience so intense." Despite the grueling conditions, Jo found solace in the camaraderie of the cast and crew, as well as the kindness of local villagers who provided hot meals after long days of filming in the cold.
Director Na Hong-jin’s reputation for perfectionism was on full display throughout the shoot. Jo prepared himself mentally to endure up to 100 takes for a single scene, though he noted with some relief that some wrapped after only 20 or 30. "If we’d compromised, we wouldn’t have achieved this level of quality," Jo insisted in his interview with iMBC Entertainment. "His relentless pursuit of perfection is the real story behind this film’s success."
Jo’s co-star, Jung Ho-yeon, also experienced the brunt of Na’s demanding style. She spent six months preparing physically for the role, increasing her muscle mass and learning to handle firearms, even obtaining a special driver’s license to perform her own drift scenes. "Even when I was exhausted, I tried to maintain my focus," Jung told Kukmin Ilbo. "The director’s persistence was a blessing for me." The result, she believes, is a film that "makes your heart race in ways I never imagined."
Despite the immense pressure and physical toll, Jo In-sung’s sense of humor remained intact. After surviving the most dangerous stunts, he joked that he should be called "JoCaprio"—a playful nod to Leonardo DiCaprio’s reputation for on-screen endurance. "If you come prepared for hardship, there’s nothing to be miserable about," he said, adding, "No matter how cold and hard the winter, spring always comes."
For Jo, Hope is more than just another addition to his filmography. It’s a testament to resilience, collaboration, and the refusal to settle for less than extraordinary. As he continues a whirlwind year with projects like Humint and Possible Love, Jo remains committed to challenging himself and pushing the boundaries of his craft. "I’d rather take risks than stay safe and bored. Overcoming these challenges is my homework," he told Kukmin Ilbo.
With its record-breaking budget, star-studded cast, and a director who refuses to compromise, Hope promises to be a cinematic event that tests the limits of both its characters and the actors who play them. As the lights go down and the story unfolds, audiences will witness not just a battle against aliens, but a battle for survival, identity, and the kind of movie magic that only comes from total commitment.