Korean film 'Hope' reaps US$5 mln in 1st week of N. America release

The Korean sci-fi film Hope has grossed nearly $5 million in its first week of release in North America, according to distributor Plus M Entertainment. The alien blockbuster earned $1.1 million on its opening day on Wednesday, bringing its total gross to $4.92 million as of Sunday, per Box Office Mojo. Directed by Na Hong-jin, the movie opened in theaters across 1,560 locations in the United States and Canada, marking the largest theatrical debut for a Korean film in the region since the 2019 Oscar-winning Parasite.

Starring Hwang Jung-min, Jung Ho-yeon, and Zo In-sung, Hope follows the chaos that ensues when mysterious beings suddenly appear in the quiet port town of Hopo, located near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone. The film, which premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May, topped 4.57 million admissions in its native South Korea.