Director Na Hong-jin Discusses What Aliens Uncover About Humanity and the Essence of Classic Action Cinematics

      Something is threatening the livestock in Hope Harbor, a rural fishing village located near the North and South Korean border. Local sheriff Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) conducts an investigation that leads him to a mysterious force capable of demolishing entire buildings. Hunters in the nearby mountains come across what appears to be a spaceship.

      Director Na Hong-jin’s Hope transitions from a local enigma to a global nightmare, as villagers find themselves helpless against the intruders. The screenplay, co-written by Na, Kim Sae-mi, and Kim Sae-rom, blends slapstick humor with intense action, resulting in a three-hour film that feels swift.

      Hope had its world premiere at Cannes this spring, was screened in a “final cut” that is four minutes shorter at the New York Asian Film Festival, and is set to debut in theaters on September 9. Prior to the festival, Na participated in an interview at NEON’s office in downtown Manhattan.

      The Film Stage: How did you go about developing these characters?

      Na Hong-jin: I felt it was crucial to contrast the human characters with the aliens. The villagers are part of a small community where everyone knows each other, creating a familial, tightly-knit environment. The aliens that have crash-landed are desperate. I can’t reveal too much about their backstory or what will happen to them, but within this narrative, they are at a significant disadvantage compared to the humans, who unite to confront the aliens.

      It’s a tale about humans interacting with a vulnerable alien minority. It also tells how the humans come to realize their actions and begin to change, understanding that the aliens come from an advanced civilization beyond Earth.

      You portray the humans with several flaws. How do these flaws contribute to your narrative? How do you use these imperfections in your storytelling?

      This film adopts a rather negative view of humanity. Once the aliens are discovered, the villagers continually comment on their dirtiness, smell, and express a need to kill them. Yet, I deliberately show that humans can be even smellier and dirtier, indeed, outright repulsive. What’s fascinating is that viewers may think, “Okay, the aliens are dirty or smelly,” but when it comes to humans, the tendency is to find humor in it.

      That's true, but I was specifically considering your portrayal of Bum-seok, the police chief, as an arrogant figure who fails to grasp the situation. He is somewhat of a fool, yet he courageously performs his duty. You leverage his flaws to draw us into the narrative.

      I crafted Bum-seok so that he leads the audience's journey. No one is ahead or behind him; we accompany him closely, experiencing events in real-time along with him. Especially in the first 50 minutes, I aimed for his comprehension of the world to align with ours.

      The film’s scope is remarkable. Your characters traverse the village of Hope amidst vast destruction.

      During location scouting, we sought out the most isolated, unpopulated village that exuded a sense of decay. We spoke with the residents, received their approval, and then dressed nearly the entire village. Their cooperation allowed us to set up our scenes while they continued their daily lives—restaurants and shops remained open. Such support gave us the flexibility to showcase the extensive damage.

      They allowed you to destroy their village?

      We utilized movable walls to create the appearance of destruction or stability in buildings.

      A significant portion of the film is set in a remote mountain forest. It’s rare to find a film that accurately captures the essence of being in the mountains.

      For that part of the shoot, we employed very wide Arri DNA lenses. Unlike conventional wide lenses, which distort when close to subjects, the DNA lens minimized distortion and altered characteristics of wide-angle shots. This allowed us to film from a distance without exaggerating the scenery. Perhaps that's why it felt like the forest experience was authentically captured.

      It was also an ideal forest for filming. Located within a national park in Romania, it was pristine and home to a low human population, along with a high concentration of bears, wolves, and other wildlife. We were fortunate that the government granted us permission to film there. It was truly a perfect location.

      Shooting there presented challenges. Controlling lighting was difficult, and access was limited. You had to adapt to whatever nature provided rather than impose your vision.

      Being a national park, there were some roads available for equipment transport, which eased logistics. However, the journey was complicated; it takes about eleven hours by car from Bucharest, followed by an hour hike into the mountains on foot once we arrived.

      The Romanian government permitted us to use an extensive portion of the park—a large expanse of land—allowing us to film in diverse forest settings. This availability enabled us to experiment. Since we filmed there for two months, I felt free to explore various possibilities. I agree, it was challenging; it was genuinely hard work.

      Your action scenes are exceptional