Controversy over critic praise for 'Hoop': How did overseas critics react? [K-EYES]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Hoop', after U.S. screening, gears up for September release

Director Na Hong-jin's new film 'Hoop' held a screening in the United States last week and is now officially preparing for its North American release in September.

'Hoop' was released in Korea on the 15th, surpassing 3 million viewers and driving strong box office performance. However, immediately after its release, critic Lee Dong-jin gave it a score of 4 out of 5, sparking backlash from netizens who left harsh comments. This led to a bizarre incident where the critic himself posted a rebuttal. Analysts suggest that this polarized audience reaction paradoxically boosted the film's publicity and drew more viewers to theaters.

'Hoop' was screened in Los Angeles on the 20th as a centerpiece film at the New York Asian Film Festival, where director Na Hong-jin received the 'Daniel A. Craft Award for Action Cinema.' Neon, responsible for North American distribution, has confirmed an official release date of September 9.

How did overseas critics respond? The film, which was invited to the competition section at the Cannes Film Festival in May and received a six-minute standing ovation, had already drawn generally positive reviews from local media at that time. Among U.S. outlets, Justin Chang of The New Yorker described it as "a thrilling chase sequence mixed with boldly restrained scenes, sharp rural comedy, and a chaotic blend of cheerfully crude CG," while David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praised its "excellent special effects and original creature design," calling it "an insanely enjoyable film featuring charismatic actors, cheeky humor, and a fresh SF-horror sensibility." In contrast, David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave it a low rating, stating, "It's clear something went seriously wrong during production."

However, since director Na Hong-jin has confirmed that VFX enhancements, including CG work, continued after the May Cannes screening, there may be noticeable differences in visual quality between the domestic release version and the September North American release.

Reactions from UK and Irish media around the same time were also largely positive. Nicholas Barber of BBC praised it as "one of the most expensive Korean films ever made, blending modern Westerns with action thrillers, horror, and SF narratives while maintaining the unique energy of 1970s cult films." Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it "a top-tier entertainment value that will further deepen global K-obsession." Conversely, Ed Potton of The Times (UK) criticized it as "feeling relentlessly repetitive throughout its nearly three-hour runtime."

On the aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 39 critics gave positive reviews, averaging 6.5 out of 10 points. Metacritic, which compiled reviews from 19 outlets, scored it 68 out of 100, labeling it "Generally Favorable."

General audience reactions have also been enthusiastic. On the film review community Letterboxd, one reviewer wrote, "A movie for those who missed Michael Bay's 'Transformers' series. It was truly great from start to finish," while another noted, "It felt like my brain was breaking. I've never had such an instinctive reaction after watching a film."

'Hoop' surpassed 3 million viewers just 11 days after its release on the 25th, recording the fastest box office growth among this year's releases. However, with 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' (releasing on the 29th) and 'Odyssey' (scheduled for release on the 5th of next month) coming soon, analysts predict that domestic audience growth may slow down amid a continuous onslaught from major Hollywood productions. Consequently, industry insiders emphasize the importance of overseas box office performance, particularly in North America starting in September.

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*This content was translated by AI.