[Dispatch=Myungju Lee] The film 'Hope' (directed by Na Hong-jin) has captured North American audiences.

'Hope' opened in the United States on the 10th (Korean time). North American distributor Neon secured approximately 1,560 theaters, making its debut to global audiences.

This is the first time a Korean film has opened in over 1,000 theaters. In the case of 'Parasite,' it started in 3 theaters and expanded to 2,000.

According to Box Office Mojo, 'Hope' earned 1.1 million dollars (approximately 1.48 billion won) in box office revenue on its opening day. It debuted at number 2 on the box office.

It surpassed the Hollywood blockbuster 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day.' Despite having more than double the number of secured theaters, it led in box office revenue.

In per theater average gross, one of the indicators for measuring film performance, 'Hope' (705 dollars) was the highest.

The remaining works performed poorly relative to their number of theaters. 'Odyssey' recorded 545 dollars, and 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' came in at 284 dollars.

'Hope's North American box office success was already anticipated. Advance screenings held at major premium theaters (Dolby, 4DX) in key cities before its release sold out completely.

Responses from foreign press and local audiences have been enthusiastic. 'MovieWeb' praised it, calling it "a tremendous alien invasion epic" and saying it "delivers an enjoyable theatrical experience."

Netizens also described it as "a meeting of Transformers and Avatar," "a massive and thrilling blockbuster," and "the best film I've seen in the past 10 years."

Meanwhile, 'Hope' begins with a story that unfolds after a branch chief at Hoipo Port learns that a tiger has appeared and meets an unbelievable reality.

<Photo source=Posed Films, Box Office Mojo capture>