Hope: Na Hong-jin Tests Humanity at the Edge of the World
Released on July 15, 2026, Hope is an epic sci-fi action thriller written and directed by Na Hong-jin, the filmmaker behind The Wailing and The Chaser. It drew 330,000 admissions on opening day — the biggest opening of the year — then crossed one million by July 17, two million by July 20, and three million by July 25, dominating the Korean summer box office. Before its domestic release the film world-premiered in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a six-to-seven-minute standing ovation and reviews that said it had "shaken Cannes."
The story unfolds in Hopo, a fictional fishing port near the Demilitarized Zone. When something unidentifiable appears in the village — is it a tiger, the creature known as "Bamigir," or something stranger still? — the entire town is thrown into crisis, and substation chief Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min) is dragged into the center of it. Jo In-sung plays Seong-gi and Jung Ho-yeon rounds out the ensemble, as Na Hong-jin's signature sense of dread and his questions about human nature detonate beneath a science-fiction shell. Calling "a world filled with ominousness" the film's starting point, the director delivered a roughly 50-billion-won production that blurs the lines between creature feature, disaster movie and occult horror.
Behind the Scenes
The most astonishing thing about Hope is that its damp, decaying port of Hopo is neither CGI nor a purpose-built backlot — it is a real, inhabited village. The production remodeled the shops, houses, alleys and old bus terminal of Namchang-ri in Bukpyeong-myeon, Haenam County, turning the entire settlement into one vast open set. Filming took place there for about three months from October 2023, with the film's opening sequences shot along the nearby Dallyangjin road and coast.
For the eerie primeval forest on the village's edge, however, no Korean location would do. Na Hong-jin flew to the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, personally scouting more than twenty sites over two weeks before settling on Retezat National Park, where he shot for 29 days to capture raw, unretouched wilderness instead of visual effects. Additional footage from places such as Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang Province was stitched together with Haenam and Romania so that a single imagined space — Hopo port — could emerge from radically different geographies. Cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo's camera prowls the narrow alleys and shoreline, capturing the anxiety that has settled over the village as pure physical texture.
Filming Location Travel Guide
Recommended half-day route: Hopo Film Street → Dallyangjinseong Fortress → Haewollu Pavilion & coastal deck path.
- Hopo Film Street (Namchang-ri): Enter along National Route 13 and a "Hope Film Street" sign greets you. The old Namchang bus terminal survives as the Hopo Substation set, and the Stella police car, Bamigir footprints, vintage butcher and café signs, and actor murals make this a must for fans.
- Dallyangjinseong Fortress: A 10–15 minute walk east toward the coast. About 50 meters of early-Joseon defensive wall remain, pairing your film pilgrimage with a bit of history.
- Haewollu Pavilion: Five minutes further along the shore, overlooking Namchang harbor — a fine spot for sunrise or sunset.
Getting there: Roughly 4.5 hours by car from Seoul. By public transit, take an intercity bus from Gwangju or Mokpo to Haenam Terminal, then a slow Wando-bound bus to the Namchang stop. The best seasons are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) when the sea breeze is mild; if you want to feel the film's damp, foreboding atmosphere, an overcast day suits it perfectly. The open-air film street has no admission fee.
Fan Pilgrimages
The moment the film opened, Haenam County dedicated Namchang-ri as the Hope Film Street, and this quiet fishing village vaulted into the spotlight as a K-content destination. On social media, hashtags like #HopeFilmingLocation, #HaenamNamchangri and #HopoPort fill with photos, and the most popular shots are taken beside the Stella police car in front of the Hopo Substation set and next to the Bamigir footprints painted along the alley walls. Fans love to recreate the film's frames at the alley where Hwang Jung-min fires his gun and beneath the Geumbok Butcher sign.
During the stage-greeting tour, Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon visited Namchang to meet the residents, a moment that became its own talking point. Because the shoot took over a living community, visitors should treat the shops and homes with respect and keep the noise down while exploring.
Nearby Food & Attractions
- Namchang harbor seafood: Facing Wando, Namchang is rich in laver (gim), abalone and octopus. Restaurants near the harbor serve the day's catch in season.
- Netflix's "The East Palace" tie-in: In the same Haenam region, Dosolam Hermitage was a filming location for the hit Netflix series The East Palace, and pairs well with Mihwangsa Temple and the Dalmasan ridge.
- Land's End & "The Admiral": Link the observatory at Ttangkkeut (Land's End) on Haenam's southern tip with the Ususeong area behind the Yi Sun-sin epic The Admiral: Roaring Currents for a full day of cinema-themed travel.
- Where to stay: Use a pension or guesthouse near Namchang, or base yourself in downtown Mokpo for easy KTX and bus access.