Hope, 380,000 advance reservations... "Highest record among this year's releases"

[Dispatch=Lee Myung-joo] Director Na Hong-jin's new film is generating buzz ahead of its release. The movie 'Hope' has exceeded 380,000 advance ticket reservations.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated cinema ticketing system, 'Hope' recorded 381,107 advance reservations as of 10 a.m. on the 13th, two days before its release.

This is the highest advance reservation count among films released this year. The 10-million-viewer film 'The Man Who Lived with the King' recorded 150,000 advance reservations.

It also ranks first among the new foreign film releases. 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' and 'Odyssey' received 100,000 and 30,000 reservations respectively.

'Hope' is director Na Hong-jin's fourth feature film. It was invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival and had its world premiere there.

Though it did not win an award, it received favorable reviews from critics both domestically and internationally. The New York Times wrote, "unrelenting blockbuster adrenaline."

Variety also praised it highly, saying it is "a work with breathtakingly elegant action direction that stands out not only this year but throughout all eras."

Meanwhile, 'Hope' is scheduled to open on the 15th.