SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- With just a day to go before the much-awaited release of Na Hong-jin's "Hope," all eyes are on whether the sci-fi blockbuster can help revive South Korea's struggling film industry.

"Hope," which competed at this year's prestigious Cannes Film Festival, is known to be one of the most expensive films to be produced in Korean cinema. It features a star-studded cast, including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon, as well as Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.

Marking Na's return a decade after "The Wailing" (2016), the film follows police officers and villagers in the remote coastal town of Hopo as they become embroiled in a series of spiraling events after encountering powerful yet mysterious extraterrestrial beings.

Given the hype surrounding "Hope" and Na's strong box-office track record -- with "The Wailing" drawing 6.9 million admissions and "The Chaser" (2008) attracting 5 million -- expectations are high that the film will provide a much-needed boost to the local box office.

On top of dwindling moviegoers since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean film industry has also been hampered by a combination of hurdles, including rising production costs, weakening investment and the growing dominance of streaming platforms.

This July 6, 2025, file photo shows actor Zo In-sung, director Na Hong-jin, actors Jung Ho-yeon and Hwang Jung-min (from L to R) attending a press conference in Seoul for the sci-fi epic "Hope." (Yonhap)

Annual theater admissions -- including both Korean and foreign movies released nationwide -- easily topped 200 million before the pandemic, peaking at a record 227 million in 2019, according to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). That figure plunged to 60 million in 2020.

Although admissions have recovered to over 100 million annually since 2022, only a handful of Korean films have exceeded the 10-million admission mark in recent years, including the supernatural thriller "Exhuma" (2024), the sequels to the popular action-crime film franchise "The Roundup" (2022-2024) and the historical action thriller "12.12: The Day" (2023).

In South Korea, 10 million ticket sales are widely considered the benchmark for major commercial success.

Fortunately for "Hope," the box-office landscape appears more favorable than it has been in years, buoyed by the unexpected success of the historical drama "The King's Warden" (2026).

The film, which the culture minister touted as "a faint glimmer of hope and a warm blessing" for the local film industry, racked up 16.9 million admissions, becoming the second most-watched Korean movie in history.

Backed by its success, the number of moviegoers for Korean films soared 75 percent on-year to 37.4 million admissions in the first half of the year, according to KOFIC data.

This March 8, 2026, file photo shows a poster for the Korean film "The King's Warden" on display at a theater in Seoul. (Yonhap)

Yeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller "Colony" (2026) extended the momentum, drawing 5.9 million admissions to date.

So far, "Hope" seems poised for a strong opening.

The film was pre-sold to around 200 territories worldwide, setting a record for a Korean film. At home, the sci-fi epic accounted for 65 percent of all advance ticket sales as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, with 476,129 tickets already sold.

Another tailwind for the film is the government's movie ticket coupon program. Last week, the culture ministry and KOFIC rolled out some 2 million discount coupons as part of ongoing efforts to boost theater attendance.

Whether "Hope" proves to be a game changer remains to be seen, and the pressure it faces is not light. For now, however, hope is running high that it can weather the industry's prolonged downturn and leave a lasting mark on Korean cinema.

"The trumpet vine is said to symbolize the spirit of 'despite it all,' because it is said to bloom through monsoon rains and even typhoons," Zo, one of the lead actors in "Hope," told reporters, when asked about the film's prospects and the anticipation surrounding it. "There are many challenges to overcome, but I hope the film will blossom in the hearts of audiences, as the flower does. That is what I hope for."

This image, provided by Plus M Entertainment, shows the poster for the sci-fi blockbuster "Hope." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)