"Hope" director Na Hong-jin openly shared his honest thoughts about audience reviews following the film's release.
Recently at Megabox COEX in Seoul, director Na Hong-jin and 10-million-ticket Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun held a GV for "Hope."
When asked, "Were there any comments or reactions that left an impression?" director Na Hong-jin said, "'Hong-jin ah, Hong-jin-i'—they all call me friend, like friends," adding, "they're all so shocking that every time I read them my head goes numb, so please go easy on me. Take it easy," he revealed.
Asked about the whereabouts of the dog Monkey, whom the fishing village group searching for Seong-gi (played by Zo In-sung) had been looking for, he said, "Monkey is definitely alive and doing well now. Not a single hair has ever been harmed. Monkey is probably safe and doing well in a secure place," which drew laughter.
Amid various questions and answers, the behind-the-scenes story of the two directors' first meeting was also revealed.
Director Na Hong-jin said, "Our first meeting was when we were shooting "The Wailing" and director Jang Jae-hyun came to visit the adjacent set. He was a rookie director and a junior from film school," adding, "when I greeted him and first saw him I thought, 'He'll just sit for a bit and leave…' but I thought leaving him alone would be a problem. He had a very impatient personality. Senior actor Kim Yun-seok, director Jang and I went to a nearby food street and scolded him, saying 'you can't do that'—that was our first meeting," he explained.
Director Jang Jae-hyun recalled, "We have very different positions. The Na Hong-jin I'd only heard about by rumor had come. To be honest, I was scared," adding, "when Senior Yun-seok said, 'He's a junior from Korea National University of Arts,' his eyes lit up and he came running and grabbed my neck," recalling the moment. Director Na Hong-jin added with a laugh, "This is how memory works. Memory is distorted by material."
Meanwhile, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) integrated computer network, "Hope" surpassed 2 million viewers around 1 p.m. on July 19, on its fifth day after release. This again set the fastest record this year, surpassing the pace of "Colony," which passed 2 million on the evening of its fifth day, and "The King's Warden," which did so in 12 days. On the other hand, as a highly talked-about work, it is also drawing sharply divided opinions.
[photo] Plus M Entertainment, "Hope" GV, SNS
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