The Ruthless Perfectionist Na Hong-jin's SF: "Alien Creatures Were Stressful from the Start" [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Director Na Hong-jin is back. After 10 years, known as a ruthless perfectionist, he meets audiences with an entirely new kind of SF film unlike his previous works. First revealed to Korean media on the 6th, 'Hope' captivated attention as a genre film that feels unfamiliar yet fresh and full of visual appeal.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Director Na Hong-jin held an interview for the film 'Hope' at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, sharing various insights about the movie.

Director Na Hong-jin said, "I'm nervous ahead of the release. When I wrote this film, it was during a time when negativity in reality was overwhelming. I felt we needed to shift the balance axis of deep genre films, and I believed that shifting the genre axis would allow the film to reach global audiences as well." He continued, "Korean audiences prefer works that blend multiple genres within a single film. They often hope for various genres to be included. We poured our hearts into making this, so it might feel somewhat unfamiliar to viewers with certain expectations. It's a tense and nerve-wracking feeling."

When asked why an SF film featuring aliens was chosen, Director Na Hong-jin replied, "Although aliens appear in this film, I find it awkward to call it SF; I personally consider it a creature feature. While preparing this work, I pondered what story to tell. I believe that from the beginning until now, I have been telling somewhat similar stories. Not wanting to retrace my own struggles or walk the same path again, I sought new material in each of my works. As I searched for new narratives, I went as far as the supernatural with 'The Wailing', and eventually reached space this time. That was what I wanted to convey. I aimed to go beyond the supernatural themes explored in 'The Wailing'."

Director Na said, "Making this film was extremely difficult. For 'Hope', we didn't take a single day off during production. There was so much work. Bong Joon-ho mentioned he is working on an animation; I wondered how hard that must be. This truly felt like no ordinary task. Even the smallest details, like the blood on my pinky finger, required attention." He added, "It was really tough. We are still in post-production."

Meanwhile, 'Hope' is scheduled for release on July 15.

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*This content was translated by AI.