[Dispatch=Yuha Sky Reporter] "My heart was pounding like it would burst out of my chest throughout the entire runtime." (X user)

Director Na Hong-jin's new film "Hope" has captivated North American audiences. The film delivers relentless laughs, tension, and overwhelming action. Praise has poured in, with some calling it "the movie of the year."

"Hope" opened in North America on the 10th (Korea time). On its opening day, it earned $1.1 million across 1,560 theaters (approximately 1.48 billion won). It claimed the #2 spot at the North American box office for the day.

The local response is enthusiastic. One viewer praised the film on movie rating site Letterboxd, saying "the director perfectly understood and properly utilized the cinematic value of horses as a subject."

Another viewer selected "Hope" as the movie of the year. "It's funny and thrilling. I hope they make more movies like this," they wrote positively. They also recommended watching it in special formats like 4DX and Dolby Cinema.

The comedy also landed well. The scene where Haeseul's uncle (played by Lim Hyun-sik) tells Seonghae (played by Jongho Yeon) about his alien sighting was ranked as one of the best scenes.

Some viewers drew comparisons to "Transformers" (Michael Bay) while watching "Hope." They found common ground in its flashy technical execution, thrilling action sequences, and distinctive humor.

Reactions strongly recommending theatrical viewing continued. One viewer wrote on Reddit, "100% a movie you have to see in theaters," and "the first 90 minutes alone are worth the ticket price. The skill in building tension is incredible."

They added, "The action sequences are top-tier. Thanks to comedy placed at just the right moments, you even get brief moments to catch your breath. The runtime didn't feel long."

Even the lengthy runtime led to humorous reviews. One viewer said, "Around an hour in, I wanted to go to the bathroom but held it. The movie was so amazing I stayed in my seat until the end," and advised "don't order a large size drink."

Currently, "Hope" is meeting audiences first in North America, Vietnam, and some other regions. Fans in countries where it hasn't opened yet have embarked on overseas trips to see the film. SNS is filled with reviews from audiences around the world.

Indonesian viewers also praised the intense action highly. One X user wrote, "Incredible intensity explodes from the beginning. Action unfolds relentlessly without pause," and emphasized "various special effects show how much Korean cinema has advanced."

Director Na Hong-jin's transformation is also a point of praise. One viewer remarked, "'The Chaser' is my greatest work of all time," and said "I was amazed that Director Na could utilize comedy to this degree."

Meanwhile, "Hope" is a sci-fi thriller film. It depicts the story that unfolds when the head of a coastal branch office hears from local youths that a tiger has appeared, and faces an unbelievable reality.

<Photo source=Plus M Entertainment, Posed Films>