Minister of Culture Also Watched 'Hope'... "See the Final Ending for Yourself"

Surpassing 3 Million Viewers in Just 11 Days After Release
Online Reviews Sharply Divided Among Audiences

As audience opinions on the film 'Hope,' which was released on July 15, are sharply divided, Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has drawn attention by sharing his review.

On July 26, Minister Choi posted on his social networking service (SNS) account, "I just watched Hope, a Korean-style sci-fi blockbuster of unprecedented and overwhelming scale," adding, "I was very satisfied just by gripping my seat for 156 minutes, completely forgetting the summer heat."

He continued, "The film starts with a subtle air of suspicion and gradually ramps up the tension, tightening the heart—then, suddenly, it accelerates, twisting left and right, dashing frantically toward somewhere. Within this, there are all kinds of genres and elements—spectacular action, thrills, horror, suspense, monsters, adventure, sci-fi, and even the absurdity of black humor," he explained.

Choi Hwiyeong, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, certifying the viewing of the movie 'Hope'. Screenshot from SNS

Minister Choi also commented, "The film allows no moment of carelessness, and then, at a certain point, it suddenly ends, and the credits roll." He urged, "As for the divisive nature of the ending, please watch it yourself and judge." He went on to congratulate director Na Hongjin and the cast of Hope, saying, "Thank you for providing such an entertaining and spectacular film. Congratulations as well on surpassing 3 million viewers in just 11 days since the release."

Hope marks director Na's first new film in 10 years since 'The Wailing,' depicting surreal events unfolding in the fictional port city of Hopohang. It has drawn attention for its unique narrative and directing style, blending various film genres. In just 11 days since its release, its cumulative audience reached 3 million, but online reviews remain sharply divided.

Film critic Lee Dong-jin. YouTube capture

As the controversy surrounding the film intensified, film critic Lee Dongjin, who posted a favorable review of Hope, also came under criticism. Lee, who previously gave Hope four out of five stars, wrote in his blog on July 20 to clarify, "I have no personal relationship with director Na," as rumors began to spread that his high rating was due to personal ties with the director.

Lee stressed, "My positive review of Hope is unrelated to who the director is," and added, "I don't like Na Hongjin as a person first and thus his films. Rather, I have come to like him as a creator because he consistently makes films that I personally find good."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.