Although Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, Lee Chang-dong and Kim Ji-woon have been the mainstay names for Korean cinema, another filmmaker worthy of inclusion, and discussion, should absolutely be Na Hong-jin. Check out “the Chaser,” if you haven’t already — it’s pretty incredible.
In late 2023, Na Hong-Jin started production on “Hope,” which stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, but it sounds like he’s taking his time in the editing room as Korean media is reporting that the film won’t be ready in time for 2025 release.
“Hope” follows the story of the residents of a small harbor town who make a startling discovery on the outskirts of their land. That’s when things go south as the residents then have to fight for their survival against something they’ve never encountered before.
Last year, I heard a rumor that “Hope” could be split into two parts, which might be another reason why Na is taking so long in the editing room. Regardless, you can scratch this one off for this year’s film festivals.
Na’s last film was 2016’s remarkable murder-mystery “The Wailing.” I didn’t expect much going into that screening, and it honestly blew me away how he pulled off the various different genres in the film.